Imphal: Chief Minister N. Biren Singh announced that the State Government would provide loans with 50 per cent grant to fish farmers who produce local Sareng and instructed the Fisheries Department to introduce a scheme in this regard soon. N. Biren Singh stated this while attending the 21st National Fish Farmers’ Day, 2021 organised by the Directorate of Fisheries, Manipur at its office Complex at Lamphelpat Saturday.
Stating that Manipur is a State with its cuisine marked by abundant consumption of fish, he stressed the need to carry out advanced fish farming in order to meet the demand for fresh fish which are healthy for consumption. He added that the State Government, since its formation, had earlier identified some sectors which needed prioritization in which fisheries was one of them. With the aim to increase fish production in the State, the Government had also provided financial assistance to many fish farmers under certain schemes.
Appreciating the Manipur State Co-operative Bank Ltd. for providing loans of around 22 Crore Rupees to fish farmers till now, he maintained that the Government had now made access to loans for farmers easier in lesser time with its single clearance window system and added that this initiative had convinced borrowers to timely repay the loan too. He also added that the production capacity of fish in the state had also increased from 31,000 MT to 33,000 MT per year now with the joint efforts of the government and the fish farmers. The production capacity had been affected to some extent by the pandemic which otherwise would have increased significantly, he said.
The Chief Minister further informed that the Government is putting in best efforts to produce sufficient quantities of fingerlings for supply to fish farmers at a lower rate. He stressed the need to make fish feed locally available in order to reduce the cost incurred in fish farming. This would help in making fish products available to the people at lower prices, he added. Instructing the Department Officials to inquire if the machine for producing fish feed was working properly, the Chief Minister asked them to procure a new machine if it was found not working.
He also appealed to the people to do their duties with sincerity and work together in coordination with one another to take the state on the path of development.
Delivering his presidential speech, Fisheries Minister Sorokhaibam Rajen stated that the production capacity of fish in the State had increased to 33,000 MT in recent years under the innovative ideas and supervision of Chief Minister N. Biren Singh. He maintained that the Government had taken up schemes to provide assistance to fish farmers and conducted training programmes for biofloc fish farming in all the hill districts.
He informed that the Government had also provided land for three years, to those landless farmers who want to carry out fish farming, on lease amount of Rs. 20,000 per acre per year under the Loktak Livelihood Mission. This would help in increasing fish production in the State, he added. The Minister further informed that he and his department officials met the Union Fisheries Minister and briefed about certain necessary projects on his recent visit to Delhi. He also announced that one cold storage each would be constructed at Imphal West and Bishnupur District to prevent wastage of fish.
He also urged the officials of the Fisheries Department to put in sincere efforts in producing fingerlings from the farms owned by the department so that it could be supplied to the fish farmers at subsidized rates.
Giving Key-note Address, Director, Fisheries Heisnam Balkrisna Singh said that National Fish Farmers Day is celebrated on 10th July every year in memory of scientists Dr K. H. Alikunhi and Dr H. L. Chaudhary for their successful demonstration of Hypophysation (technology of induced breeding) in Indian Major Carps on 10th July 1957. He added that the day is also observed in recognition of the hard work and sincere efforts of fish farmers in producing fish for the people.
During the function, cash rewards to ‘Best Fish Farmers – 2020’ were also distributed. The Highest Producer in Group Category was rewarded with Rs. 1 Lakh cash amount. First, second and third highest Producer in Individual Category has also rewarded with Rs. 1 Lakh, Rs. 70,000 and Rs. 50,000 respectively. The other awards included Highest Individual Fish Producers, Highest Fish Production Officers in Valley and Hill Districts and Consolation prizes among others. The awardees were also provided a certificate and coffee table book of the Four Years Citizen-Centric Government.
The Chief Minister also released a booklet highlighting the activities and achievements of the Fisheries Department in the past four years.
Commissioner, Fisheries Shri M. Harekrishna, Joint Secretary Smt. Neeta Arambam, Managing director, MSCB Ltd. Shri Ahanthem Subhash, Officials of Fisheries Department and Fish Farmers from across the State also attended the programme among others.
