Kolkata, Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh on Saturday made a lot of inland water resources urges in West Bengal and other states, which to fully tap its potential in fish production, to exploit the country’s fisheries sector as part of the center’s push, has seen a 103 percent increase in the last decade.
Talking to the media after addressing the officials of the Fisheries Department of West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, the minister exposed India’s second largest fish producers, citing 103 percent of the total fish production growth in the last 10 years.
He said, “In 10 years, the total fish production has seen an increase of 103 percent, while inland waterbody recorded a 143 percent increase in fish production. We are asking every state to tap 100 percent inland water capacity by encouraging small fish producers scattered in villages and promoting infrastructure.”
The minister admitted that although West Bengal was one of the top contributors in fish production in India, only 51,000 fishermen in the state have been officially registered, although the number of people involved in fish production is more than 32 lakhs.
He said, “The state should facilitate the process of registration so that more fishermen can be officially harmonized that will actually benefit the region in the state,” he said.
Singh said, “While about 50-60 percent of Bengal’s inland fisheries capacity is tapped, we believe it can be pushed up to 100 percent,” Singh said.
Singh advocated technical infrastructure and better processing facilities to promote domestic supply and exports. The center is ready to support modernization of processing plants and encourage private sector participation, “he said.
“Every village has many ponds in Bengal. Wherever possible, every waterbody needs to be developed for pistachicity.
“If such measures are taken by the state government, we are here to support. The state’s economy will grow and in turn will increase the country’s economy,” the minister said.
When asked about the absence of the Principal Secretary of Fisheries from the meeting, Singh said, “This is a state call. I should not comment. A secretary-level officer in the department, however, joined the event today. In fact, I believe that we all should work together.”
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