Minister of Sunderban Affairs, West Bengal launched SCSP and TSP programme of ICAR-CIFRI at Sagar island

29 September 2022, Sagar island, West Bengal

Shri Bankim Chandra Hazra, Minister of Sunderban Affairs, Govt of West Bengal inaugurated the livelihood support cum mass aquaculture input distribution and awareness programme organised by ICAR-CIFRI for 400 SC and ST families of Sagar islands.

He appreciated the effort of ICAR-CIFRI for livelihood enhancement of small and marginal fish farmers in the last 5 years in Sunderbans areas and the efforts taken by the institutes in post-cyclonic intervention. He emphasised that though Sundarbans is rich in water resources but fish production is not enough to meet the local market demand. He advised the farmers to adopt scientific fish farming with the technical and input support of ICAR-CIFRI. He motivated farmers to start savings from the income generated through fish farming. He mentioned that Sagar Island always faces extreme climatic events, in the last 2 years, 3 cyclones and a flood have affected the livelihoods of the rural poor of Sagar Island. He mentioned that to improve the livelihoods of the farmers of Sagar island, the effort of the Director, ICAR-CIFRI to support 400 SC and ST fish farmers is praiseworthy. He distributed inputs like ICAR-CIFRI Cagegrow fish feed (42 ton), Fish fimgerlings (1.80 lakh nos), and other inputs to 400 fish farmers.

Shri Nimai Maharaj, Secretary Bharat Sevashram Sangha, Gangasagar addressed the fish farmers and motivated the fish farmers for scientific fish farming in their backyards for enhancing their income from these ponds. While appreciating ICAR-CIFRI’s initiative, he suggested to appropriate utilization of the inputs and technical support given by CIFRI for their overall growth.

Shri Swapan Pradhan, Chairman, Panchayat Samiti, Gangasagar thanked ICAR-CIFRI on behalf of all the Sagar Island fish farmers and advised the fish farmers to work hard and improve their production utilizing the inputs and guidelines of ICAR-CIFRI for fish farming.

Dr. B. K. Das in his address, motivated fish farmers to adopt scientific guidelines for fish farming. He advised the fish farmers to save some of their income from fish farming for future investment. In this initiative, approximately 25 lakhs were spent by the institute, and it is envisaged that there will be an income of  1.0 crore within a year from this initiative.

(Source: ICAR-CIFRI)