GUWAHATI, Jan 25 - Chief Minister�s Principal Secretary Sanjay Lohia reviewed the cage culture project taken up under Chief Minister�s Samagra Grammya Unnayan Yojana (CMSGUY) at Barghuli Beel in Nagaon district on Thursday.
The department of fisheries has taken up the ambitious scheme � the cage aquaculture for production enhancement in 15 beels of Assam through CMSGUY assistance with an estimated cost of Rs 3.3 crore with 70% CMSGUY share and 30% beneficiary share. The total estimated cost of one unit of cage battery consisting 10 units of cages of 6MX4MX2M is Rs 13.50 lakh for civil work � cost of cage fabrication, installation, etc., and Rs 8.452 lakh towards the cost of inputs � seed and feed cost, etc.
The cages are made up of High Density Poly Ethylene (HDPE) having more than 15 years of lifespan. The project has been highly popular in Jharkhand, Chattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and a bulk portion of fish comes from the cage culture in these States.
Assam has tremendous beel fishery resources having more than one lakh hectare of water area and have ample scope for cage aquaculture. As the water of beels is highly productive there is huge scope to boost the fish production through cage aquaculture, the Principal Secretary said.
Lohia said that cage culture could be the viable alternative for fish production to a great extent in days to come. He also released the fish seed in the cages as a symbol of encouragement to the farming community. Barghuli Matsya Utpadan O Meen Unnayan Samabai Sammittee has been implementing the cage aquaculture scheme in Barguli Beel.
Later, Lohia visited the pearl culture project done by Rulen Hazarika of Besamari area of Nagaon district. Hazarika, an educated unemployed youth has started pearl culture on pilot basis and has succeeded to a large extent. Seeing the pearl culture activity, Lohia was very glad and interacted with the farmer about the pearl culture activities. He requested the department of fisheries for systematic development of pearl culture activities in the State as one of the new avenues in aquaculture so that farmers can get the double benefit from the fish and pearl from single pond or tank.