Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Rajiv Ranjan Singh, on Sunday announced that the Centre has sanctioned four Integrated Aquaparks in the northeastern states of Assam, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, and Nagaland to boost fish production in the region, IANS reported.
The announcement came as Singh virtually laid the foundation stone of Tripura’s Integrated Aquapark in Kailashahar, Unakoti district headquarters. Speaking to the press, the Union Minister said that the aquaparks in the Northeast are part of 11 such facilities being established across the country under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY).
“Tripura and other northeastern states have huge demands for fish, and these states have the potential to increase the production of fish,” Singh said, adding that the Central government will continue to support Tripura and other northeastern states in becoming self-sufficient in fish and milk production.
The Integrated Aquapark in Kailashahar, sanctioned at a cost of Rs 42.4 crore, is expected to modernise the fish production, processing, and marketing infrastructure in Tripura. Singh described the aquapark as a “backbone” for enhancing fish production and a boost to the state’s aquaculture value chain.
An official statement from the Department of Fisheries stated that Integrated Aquaparks are being prioritised as flagship interventions under the PMMSY scheme. These aquaparks are designed as all-in-one hubs that include hatcheries, feed mills, cold storage, processing units, training centres, and marketing facilities. They are expected to drive innovation, create livelihoods, and benefit youth and women in the region.
Under the PMMSY and Blue Revolution schemes, Tripura has received aquaculture-related projects worth Rs 319 crore over the past decade, supporting infrastructure development, technological advancement, fishers’ welfare, and market intervention.
(With inputs from IANS)