Sonepur: After the formation of the new BJP government in Odisha, residents of Subarnapur had high hopes for the establishment of a fisheries college in the district.
With no major state-level or Central institution in the area, the public expected the Mohan Majhi-led government, which has emphasised balanced regional development, to address the long-standing demand. But with just one week left before the government marks its first anniversary, there has been no tangible progress on the matter. Efforts to establish the college began two years ago.
A Detailed Project Report (DPR) was prepared and submitted to the state Fisheries and Animal Resources Development department. In November 2023, then District Collector Bimalendu Ray had written to the department’s principal secretary, urging him to send a high-level team to assess the proposed site and take necessary action. However, no team has been dispatched in the 18 months thereafter. Later, in July 2024, District Collector Anya Das sent a reminder letter to the department.
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Bolangir MP Sangeeta Kumari Singh Deo also raised the issue in the Lok Sabha. In April, Birmaharajpur MLA Raghunath Jagadala demanded the same from the state assembly. However, the Fisheries and Animal Resources Development minister, Gokulananda Mallik, responded that no formal proposal had yet been received regarding a fisheries college in Subarnapur; much to the disappointment of the local population. Subarnapur district, with its numerous rivers and streams, including the Mahanadi, Tel, Ang and Suktel, along with several dams, creeks, and ponds, offers favourable conditions for fish farming and research.
Given the absence of a fisheries college in western Odisha, the demand for one in Subarnapur had strong backing. Letters have been sent from the district administration and Planning and Statistics department to the Fisheries department, proposing the idea. The department’s principal secretary had previously instructed the district administration to review the site conditions, estimate associated costs, and form a committee to facilitate the proposal.
Accordingly, a main committee and subcommittees were constituted. The Dean of the College of Agriculture, Chiplima, under the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT), had prepared the DPR. The college would require around 50– 60 acres of land, which would include large and small ponds, a playground, an administrative block, and hostels.
A 55-acre campus of the Odisha Pisciculture Development Corporation (OPDC) exists near Binika, and the state-run fisheries farm in Subarnapur spans about 75 acres with multiple ponds.
Officials suggested the college could begin operations on a temporary basis without logistical issues. Despite available infrastructure and administrative readiness, the project remains stalled due to a lack of formal approval and ministerial will.
PNN
