Post News Network
Phulbani, Dec 7: A lack of foresight and well thought-out planning has led to several government schemes going astray, an example of which would be the government-run fishery units in Kandhamal district that are being utilised for vegetable farming instead to generate revenue.
According to reports, three government fishery units were set up at Sirtiguda, Tandrigaon and Phulbani to provide fingerlings to fish farmers of the district. It was an initiative taken by the Orissa Pisciculture Development Corporation to provide fingerlings as well as know-how to the farmers for better productivity. However, apart from the centre at Phulbani, two others are not doing well.
Bishnu Charan Pradhan of Tandrigaon under Phiringia block who was awarded the tender to run one of these units has started vegetable farming to meet the terms of the contract.
“Here we have 14 ponds for fish and fingerling farming on a land stretching over three acres. But seven of them have dried up and there are no fingerlings in them. It is becoming increasingly difficult to pay annual fees to the government,” Pradhan said.
Pradhan, who got a five-year contract, said he has to pay Rs 38,000 for the first year and 15 per cent more for the subsequent years according to the terms and condition of the contract. He made some money in the first year but would have to pay from his pocket this year, Pradhan added.
Left with no option, Pradhan has to go for vegetable farming this year. Besides, some locals have also started encroaching upon parts of the land, he added.
When contacted, district fisheries officer Prasanna Kumar Panda said the department lacks adequate manpower. The units were established to provide training to the farmers but enough trainers couldn’t be recruited for the purpose. Finally the units were handed over to private individuals on tender basis, Panda informed.
According to official sources, there are still 42 lakhs fingerlings in various ponds of these units and the government is interested in running them on PPP mode to generate revenue.
