Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Odisha’s Fisheries Minister Gokula Nanda Mallik kicked off a new Rs 7 crore fish farming facility in Hirakud, Sambalpur, on Friday. This modern center aims to supercharge the local fisheries sector and create jobs for thousands.
Pradhan, speaking to reporters, raved about the huge potential in the Hirakud reservoir for fish farming in Odisha. “There’s immense possibility for fishing here,” he said. He pointed out that the dam already rears about 30,000 metric tonnes of fish each year, with another 18,000 metric tonnes from the Sambalpur district—bringing in fish worth Rs 500 crores. Across Odisha, the state produces around 12 lakh metric tonnes of both sea and inland fish. Pradhan added that the government is rolling out schemes to strengthen farmers and boost fish production in Sambalpur.
In a post on X, Pradhan shared his excitement: “Extremely delighted to inaugurate the Panjuri Fish Farming General Facilities Centre at Hirakud in Sambalpur.” He praised the state government’s innovative approach to setting up Panjuri clusters in the reservoir for fish farming. “This state-of-the-art center will open a new chapter in Odisha’s fisheries production and tap into the rich potential of the Hirakud reservoir,” he wrote.
Mallik highlighted Sambalpur’s strong fish culture scene, which churns out 40,000 metric tonnes of fish annually. The new Common Facility Centre will make life easier for local fishermen by handling fish processing, storage in an ice plant, and transportation. “Fish caught here will get processed and shipped out from this spot,” he explained. Even better, the project should create employment opportunities for more than 10,000 people in the region.
This Rs 7 crore initiative promises to ramp up fish production and livelihoods in Odisha’s Sambalpur district, supporting the growing fisheries industry across India.
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