SAMBALPUR: The State Government is all set to extend the cage fish farming project to Jharsuguda by linking the fishermen residing in the periphery of Hirakud Dam Reservoir (HDR) under Lakhanpur block of the district.
Deputy Director of Fisheries, Sambalpur Zone, Pabitra Kumar Behera said four circular and 60 rectangular cages will be installed in the area. The Odisha Fisheries Cooperative Corporation Ltd (FISHFED) will execute the work in August. Fingerlings will be released into the cages in October.
The entire project will be undertaken at a cost of Rs 2.34 crore and the fund has already been provided by the District Mineral Fund.
Behera said around 12,000 fingerlings of Indian major carp will be released into each circular cage which will produce about 10 tonnes of fish with a net profit of Rs 7.5 lakh within a period of six months. Altogether, 20 tonnes of fish will be produced from each cage per annum with a yearly income of Rs 15 lakh.
Similarly, each of the 60 rectangular cages will be infused with 2000 fingerlings of fast-growing fish varieties like Pangasius and Tilapia.
Each cage will produce about two tonnes of fish ensuring a net income of Rs 1.25 lakh per annum.
Six Primary Fishermen’s Co-operative Societies (PFCS), including Chourasi, Banrepat, Lachhipali, Samaleswari, Mahadeb and Thebra will be associated with the project.
Altogether 3,167 members of the six PFCS will benefit from the cage fish farming in the HDR.
This apart, six fish landing centres will be constructed and a power boat will be provided to the six PFCS.
A ‘Hirakud Fresh’ outlet will also be set up at Jharsuguda town for the marketing of the fish produced from the cages, Behera said. Earlier, the department had introduced cage fish farming in the reservoir in Sambalpur with the installation of 28 facilities at an estimated cost of around Rs 47 lakh.