Source: Hueiyen News Service / Lenin Wangkheirakpam
Imphal, April 27 2009:
THE PRODUCTION of fish in the state would have witnessed a marked increase � more than the required quantity of the state �had the 'paat' come under the Fishery Department of the state which would, at the same time, save the exchequer of the state spent on buying imported fish from other states of the country.
According to an official estimate, 18, 000 metric tons of fishes were produced by the state Fishery Department during the fiscal year 2008-09 .
A target is being set for producing 21, 000 metric tons of fishes for the year 2009-10 in the state.
The targeted quantity of fish production however is short of 3000 MT of the required amount of fishes in the state.
"The total required quantity of fishes in the state is around 28, 000 MT in a year.
As the Fishery Department is unable to produce the necessary amount of fishes, it has to import it from other states," Joint Director of Fishery Department K Minaketan said during an exclusive tete-a-tete with Hueiyen Lanpao.
The reason which hampered the Fishery Department in producing the required amount of fishes in the state as the most fertile places for fish's production, the 'paat' are under the Revenue Department, ac-cording to the official of the Fishery Department.
"Had the paat being under the control of the Fishery Department, the required amount of fish could be produced and the economy of the state incurred in buying fishes from other states can be saved for other beneficial purposes," the Joint Director said.
Out of the proposed Rs 700 lakh placed by the Fishery Department, the Planning Committee has approved only Rs 360 lakh, though it is not yet finalised, K Minaketan further said.
He pointed out that since the fund sanctioned for the department is not sufficient, some schemes undertaken by the department have remained unfulfilled.
Fish Aquarium and Exploration of Aquarium Fishes, to name a few, are the unaccomplished schemes under the department due to shortage of funds.
KT observes that the schemes, on accomplishment would generate huge revenue.
Shortage of funds doesn't mean that the department is crippled in all fronts.
It has also achieved other projects with the nominal funds it gets.
The 'Development of State Fish (Pengba) in Manipur' has been a recorded success, the Joint Director Minaketan said.