NALBARI, July 24 � With the Nalbari district administration declaring the remote Raitkuchi village under Barbhag revenue circle a model village, all the departments of the district have been directed to execute a model scheme there.
Nalbari Deputy Commissioner Dr Om Prakash himself has taken initiative in this regard to bring the concept of model village into reality. As per the directive of the deputy commissioner, the fishery department under the State Plan head launched a new project for fish production.
Under this project, the fishery department has developed an area of 1.5 hectares in the Raitkuchi channel with the community involvement of that locality. To look after the project, the fishery department has formed the Raitkuchi Jan Development Committee. The department also provided fish seeds for the natural water bodies to popularise fish production in the area.
In this connection, an awareness meeting was held at the village on July 23 with Alohu Ram Das, a retired teacher in the chair. Addressing the meeting, the district fishery development officer Gagan Sarma said the fishery department has taken some special schemes to increase the fish production in the district.
Last year, the district produced 10,800 metric tonnes of fish against a demand of 12,675 metric tonnes for a population of 7.5 lakh in the district. The district, despite having a tremendous scope for fish production, still has a deficit of 1,875 metric tonnes.
Speaking in the meeting, Ramen Kalita, president of the Nalbari District Journalists Union called upon the fish farmers to take pisciculture with an eye on commercial benefits. The meeting was also addressed, among others, by Ananda Kalita and Bankim Choudhury, fishery extension officers of Pub Nalbari and Barbhag blocks respectively, fishery demonstrators Dwijen Baishya and Pradip Kumar Sarma.
