Banks draft Rs 3.60 cr plan to boost fish output in MP

Over 200 hectares of marshes will be converted into fish farms by March 2005

To increase fish production in Madhya Pradesh, several banks have joined hands. Thy have prepared a Rs 3.60 crore pilot project to convert marshes into commercial fish farms in the Seoni Malwa, Sohagpur and Babai areas of the Hoshangabad district in the state.

Under the project, 200 hectares of marshes will be converted into fish farms by March 2005. But farming activity will continue till 2007-08.

Branch managers of the State Bank of India, the Central Bank of India, regional rural banks, district credit co-operative banks and district agriculture credit and rural development banks will monitor implementation of the project in their respective areas.

The project will cover irrigation canals, nullahs and water-logged areas.

The state has over 226,000 hectares of reservoirs under pisciculture with another 63 thousand hectares as ponds in villages.

Of this, 116,000 hectares is under the Matsya Mahasangh and 72 thousand hectares under fish farmers' co-operative societies. The state fisheries department own around 11 thousand hectares of reservoirs.

Though the state government will have no direct say in the implementation of the project, it will provide subsidy and training to farmers.

Due to seepage from canals of the Tawa irrigation project, over 500 acres of land remains water-logged in the Hoshan-gabad district all through year.

"We aim at developing those lands into fish farms," Ashok Mathur, chief general manager of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard), told Business Standard. Such areas were on the rise, he added.

"If the project is successful, we will spread it to other areas in the state," Mathur said.

Fishing for growth

• The project will cover irrigation canals, nullahs and water-logged areas
• Though the state government will have no say in the implementation of the project, it will provide subsidy and training to farmers
• The state has over 226,000 hectares of reservoirs under pisciculture
• Branch managers of the participating banks will monitor the project in their respective areas