Balasore/Bhograi: The district administration laid stress on lending to farmers in the fishery sector at the 21st meeting of the district level Coastal Aquaculture Authority held at the Collectorate under the chairmanship of Collector Ramesh Chandra Rout Friday.
Providing loans to fish farmers in the district has assumed importance as it has been maintaining the top position in fish production for the last 10 years. At the meeting, the administration underscored the need for pushing the fishery sector by facilitating loans to fish farmers and continue the achievement in the current year.
District fishery officer Rabi Narayan Patnaik said 108 people have applied for registration for fish farming in 70.53 hectares; 204 small farmers for lease of government land and 74 farmers for registration renewal in 103.14 hectares of water bodies.
Significantly, a decision was taken at the meeting to earmark a suitable place in the district for a big fish market and then hand over the land to the fishery and animal husbandry department.
Mastya Pokhari Yojana is one of the major schemes of the state government to push fish farming. In view of this, tehsildars were asked to ensure land provision to the interested farmers while lead bank managers of various areas were asked to ensure loans to farmers.
The Collector laid stress on organising ‘Loan Melas’ where fish farmers will be provided loans in the district. ADM Manas Ranjan Padhi, Sub-Collector Nilu Mohapatra, ZP president Nibedita Mohanty, Deputy Director of Fishery Ajya Kumar Sethi, and five tehsildars from coastal pockets attended the meeting.
Cooperation movement: At another programme at Jayrampur Cooperative Society in Bhograi, Higher Education Minister Ananta Das said cooperation movement has strengthened the socio-economic condition of farmers in the state.
The state government has been streamlining the work in cooperative societies from promotion of agriculture and welfare of farmers, Das added. The minister also observed that farmers are provided loans, fertilizers, pesticides, modern agro equipment through cooperative societies while awareness workshops for farmers are being organised across the country, he said.
PNN