SAMBALPUR/JHARSUGUDA: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday inaugurated the common facility centre for cage fish farming at Hirakud, marking a major push towards modernising fisheries in Odisha.
Built at a cost of around Rs 7.02 crore over 37 acre of land, the centre is equipped with facilities like cold storage, ice plants and modern processing units to support safe preservation, value addition, and marketing of fish.
Speaking on the occasion, Pradhan said the initiative would script a new chapter in the state’s fisheries sector and unlock the vast potential of the Hirakud reservoir spread over 2 lakh hectare. After Ganjam and Balasore, Sambalpur ranks among the top fish-producing districts, contributing nearly Rs 500 crore worth of fish annually. With advanced infrastructure and better market linkages, local produce could now reach not only Odisha but also national and international markets, he said.
He informed that the Central government has sanctioned about Rs 100 crore for setting up a state-of-the-art fish farming and skill development centre at Basantpur near Sambalpur. The facility will train fishermen in modern practices, hygiene and processing techniques, thereby boosting quality, productivity and market value.
Alongside the Chief Minister’s Matsya Jeevi Kalyan Yojana, the state government is providing financial assistance of approximately Rs 11 lakh per hectare to promote creation of new ponds for fish cultivation. Similarly, each panchayat is being encouraged to adopt integrated farming, while subsidies of around Rs 2.30 lakh and Rs 1.61 lakh under the Chief Minister Kamdhenu Yojana are being provided to support fish rearing in existing village ponds through self-help groups. Primary fish farmers are receiving aid up to Rs 2 lakh. In the coming days, fish will be released into all reservoirs to increase production. The administration has been directed to ensure every panchayat meets its fish cultivation targets and provides necessary assistance to beneficiaries, he added.
In Jharsuguda, Pradhan termed the GST Reforms 2.0 as a transformative step towards economic prosperity. Attending the ‘Convention on GST Reforms-2025’, he said these reforms promote ‘ease of living’ and ‘ease of doing business,’ setting India on a path to becoming a developed nation by 2047.
He underscored that GST Reforms 2.0 are designed to reduce household expenses and boost savings, particularly through lower GST rates on daily necessities. These reforms are expected to accelerate growth in key sectors such as agriculture, education, business, and healthcare, benefiting the common man.