Bhubaneswar: Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati reviewed Odisha’s fisheries sector in a high-level meeting at Raj Bhavan Saturday.
The meeting, attended by Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Minister Gokulananda Mallik, officials from the Fisheries department, OPDC, ICAR-CIFA, College of Fisheries, and industry representatives, focused on enhancing fish production and implementing better policies.
The Governor stressed the need to identify potential areas for fish farming through district-wise surveys and ensure annual expansion of aquaculture land. With only 0.33 lakh hectares of Odisha’s 4 lakh hectares of brackish water under cultivation, he urged immediate steps to bring more land under aquaculture.
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He emphasised scientific fish farming, quality control, and infrastructure development, including establishing more hatcheries and ice plants. Under Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), he suggested utilising subsidies for area expansion and urged better transportation facilities for fish farmers.
The Governor also highlighted the importance of data-driven planning to bridge the gap between supply and demand, stressing self-reliance through technology-driven solutions and financial assistance. Officials were directed to allocate unutilised funds by the fiscal year-end to benefit more farmers.
PNN
