Odisha CM launches ‘Fish Pond Yojana’ to promote fish farming

The Odisha government introduced ‘Fish Pond Yojana’, a state sponsored scheme, to promote fish farming in State. Field level fisheries officials will play a vital role in identifying beneficiaries and select sites at block level.

With the implementation of the scheme, additional 2,200 hectares of freshwater aquaculture farming will be created with 50 per cent financial assistance to farmers. It has been introduced with a budget provision of 96 crore.

According to the plan, a farmer with requisite land can get bank loan of Rs 8.5 lakh per hectare for excavation of new tank. So the government can provide maximum 50 per cent of the total cost (Rs 4.25 lakh per hectare) as subsidy money. If anybody spends more than Rs 8.5 lakh per hectare, the government will not give more than the maximum cap of subsidy.

A senior officer from FARD said a maximum of two hectares for each farmer will be supported to undertake intensive aquaculture. Even farmers can create ponds for production of fingerlings. But these farmers can get subsidy for one hectare only, he added.

The state produces around 6 lakh MT fish (both marine and freshwater) annually. Out of the total production, share of fresh water production is 3.93 lakh MT. But the state consumes more freshwater fish than seafood. So it imports 40,000 matric tonne of fresh water fish from neighbouring state every year.

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