Scaling up potential of the fishing industry, 'Blue Revolution' in UP stimulates production

Aimed at expanding pisciculture and associated business activities in the state, the Uttar Pradesh government has initiated an enterprising campaign called 'Blue Revolution'. Launched with an intention to stimulate production in the developing sector, the project is already showing promising results. As a part of this, the state administration is also implementing a list of initiatives to safeguard the interests of the fishermen and other market players in the industry.

Innovative scheme from Barabanki garners national attention

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While executing its plans, the state government has considered the nutritional aspects of the fishes, besides the underlying business prospects. With a marked production of 6.9 lakh metric tonnes of fishes in the last financial year, Uttar Pradesh has been called the best north-Indian state for fish farming projects. Incepted in the Barabanki district, the fish Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) has garnered national attention for devising methods to produce optimum quantities of African catfish, Tilapia, and other fish species in supervised ecosystems.

A government spokesperson was quoted saying, "The youth from the state is showing keen interest in this scheme and have registered their names to be part of the 'Blue Revolution'. This will not only create employment opportunities but will also result in better resource management, greater work opportunities, and reduced waste, as young people are more inclined to adopt new technologies and techniques"

Multiple initiatives by the state and the central government

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In order to expand the cultivation in inland fisheries, the government is working on plans to lease the ponds (with an area of around 3000 hectares) possessed by the gram panchayats for 10 years. Additionally, the state has allocated ₹300 crores to amp up the production and disbursement of fish seeds.

Not just the state government but the central government is also committed to the amelioration of the fisheries sector. As a part of the Prime Minister Matsya Sampada Yojana, the union administration has assigned ₹243 crores to integrate fisheries with technology. Under the projects sponsored by this amount, about 2 lakh fishermen shall be offered free insurance packages in the upcoming financial year.

Igniting the potential of the state's fishing industry

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According to experts in this field, the state harbours significant capacity in the fishing industry. Sanjay Srivastava, the winner of several state-level accolades for fish production, mentioned that if the production is variegated, the possibilities of tapping the state's complete potential stand amplified.

Another specialist stated that the fishery will become more lucrative if it is coupled with duck rearing. He informed that the ducks feeding on mosquito larvae would also be advantageous in preventing vector-borne disease.

While the state government has converged its attention on prime economic sectors, it can be observed that the body also wishes to accentuate progress in the neglected spheres. Given the current interventions, it can be expected that the fishing industry would soon transform into a high yielding business for the state.