BHUBANESWAR: The State Government, on Monday, launched a new scheme-‘Fish Pond Yojana’ to create additional 2,200 hectares of fresh water aquaculture farming with 50 per cent financial help to the farmers.“The state plan scheme has been introduced with a budget provision of `96 crore,” said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik while attending a workshop on ‘Doubling of Farmers Income Through Dairy and Allied Farming Practices’.
“Various services in the fisheries sector are also being made online today. I would expect an active participation of women SHGs and Fisheries Cooperatives in taking advantages of various schemes launched by my Government,” he said.The Chief Minister also dedicated the yojana in Berhampur and Cuttack urban areas with a budgetary provision of `1 crore to provide emergency assistance to sick and injured animals. Odisha is the only State in the country to have doubled farmers’ income in real terms over a decade, he said.
Stating that contribution from livestock and fisheries sectors play an important role in the development of rural economy in the State, Naveen said contribution from these sectors increased significantly by 33.35 times during the period. These sectors have a tremendous relevance for the livelihood of small and marginal farmers who derive a substantial part of their income from the sale of milk, meat, egg and fish, he said.
“Due to persistent and novel initiatives taken by the State Government, the annual fish production in Odisha has increased from 2.6 lakh tonnes to more than six lakh tonnes in the last 17 years. Similarly, per day milk production has seen a quantum leap from 24 lakh litres in 2000 to 54 lakh litres now,” he said and added egg production has also seen a production growth of more than 2.5 times.
Fresh scheme
● The state plan scheme has been introduced with a budget provision of J96 crore
● Per day milk production has seen a quantum leap from 24 lakh litres in 2000 to 54 lakh litres now
● Egg production has also seen a production growth of more than 2.5 times