Agartala, March 15, 2024: In an effort to bridge the disparity between fish consumption and production in Tripura, Fisheries Minister Sudhangshu Das announced on Friday said that the establishment of an Integrated Aqua Park (IAP) in Kailashahar, located within the Unakoti district. The park, spanning 115.83 acres of land, will be developed under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) where over 1200 youths will find employment opportunities.

During a press briefing at the Civil Secretariat in Agartala, Fisheries Minister Das disclosed that the State Fisheries Department has forwarded a proposal to the central government, seeking approval for a grant of Rs. 99.99 crore to establish an Integrated Aqua Park (IAP) in Satero Miyan Haur of Kailashahar sub-division within the Unakoti District. In response, the central government has allocated Rs. 42.3994 Crore for the initial phase, with Rs. 38.1595 Crore as the central share and Rs. 4.2399 crore as the state’s contribution. This funding is designated for the implementation of the project under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) for the fiscal year 2023-24.

He mentioned, “This initiative will encompass 115.83 acres of land in the Satero Miyan Haur Area, including 28 acres of government-owned land, with the remainder to be acquired through lease agreements with private landowners. However, the plot is located under BC Nagar Gram Panchayat and Fultali Gram Panchayat.”

Providing a breakdown of the components within the IAP, it comprises an Indian major carp hatchery, brood stock ponds, nursery ponds, and rearing ponds, as well as growout earthen ponds, a bio-floc complex, a re-circulatory aquaculture system (RAS), a feed plant, a fish processing unit, an aquarium and angling complex, a restaurant, and facilities such as farmer and student hostels, along with a guest house.

It’s worth noting that 95 percent of the state’s population consumes 1.15 lakh MTs of fish annually, whereas the current production is at 85 lakh MTs. The minister asserted, “Upon the establishment of the IAP, we anticipate an annual fish production of 600 to 700 MTs.”

Das mentioned that he had held three meetings with Union Fisheries Minister Puroshuttam Rupala, during which he briefed him on the state’s requirements and advancements in the fisheries sector.

“Additionally, we have submitted another project to the Centre aimed at providing fish kiosks, 100 Matsya Vaahini (Eco-Friendly Mobile Fish Kiosks), and 100 Matsya E-Rickshaws to unemployed youths in 2023-24, enabling them to become self-reliant. The total project cost amounted to 22 crore. In response, the Centre has allocated Rs. 3.40 Crore for the initial phase, with Rs. 3.06 Crore as the central share and Rs. 0.34 Crore as the state’s contribution under PMMSY for the year 2023-24. In this first phase, 20 fish kiosks and Matsya e-rickshaws each will be distributed, along with 10 eco-friendly mobile fish kiosks,” the Minister informed reporters.

In addition, Das stated, “Furthermore, in response to our proposal, the Government of India (GoI) has approved a total project cost of Rs. 86.7017 crore for the implementation of 14 activities under PMMSY for the year 2023-24. Out of this total project cost, the Government of India sanctioned Rs. 43.2965 Crore as the Central Share, Rs. 4.941 crore as the State Share, and Rs. 38.4642 crore as the Beneficiary Share. GoI has already released an amount of Rs. 15.00 crore as the Central Share for the implementation of these 14 activities.”

Highlighting additional initiatives by the state’s Fisheries department, Minister Das mentioned the establishment of the Tripura Fishery Development Board, a first for the state, enabling funds to be accessed through three categories. The Matsya Sahayak Yojana has been introduced, providing Rs. 6,000 annually to genuine fishermen. Presently, approximately 1000 fishermen have availed of this support, with the number expected to rise to 3000 in the fiscal year 2024-25. Moreover, the department is launching the “Matsya Sampada Suraksha Yojana,” which compensates fishermen for losses incurred due to fish cultivation mishaps, offering Rs. 5,000 for 1 kani of pond, Rs. 10,000 for 1 to 5 kani of pond, and Rs. 15,000 for ponds of 5 kani and above. Additionally, the department has submitted a proposal to the North-Eastern Council (NEC) and has received a sanctioned amount of Rs. 9.45 crore for the restoration of 215 water bodies spanning 275 hectares of land.

Principal Secretary BS Mishra and Director of the Fisheries department, Santosh Das, were also present at the press briefing.