In a bid to harness the potential of Blue Revolution, the Maharashtra government on Tuesday unveiled a policy to promote cage culture fish farming in the state. The policy also aims to create employment for 1 lakh people in Maharashtra. In fish cage farms, fishes are raised commercially in culture settings where fish utilises existing water resources but encloses the fish in a cage or basket which allows water to pass freely between the fish and the pond. At present, Maharashtra has just around 10 cages at locations such as dams at Ujani, Vangani, Panshet and Dimbhe, which includes the government, private, fishermen co-operatives and NGO-promoted projects. In India, Andhra Pradesh leads in aquaculture and fisheries, and this policy will get Maharashtra to the number one spot soon. We want to create employment opportunity for nearly 1 lakh people through cage culture, said Mahadev Jankar, Minister for Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fisheries. A senior government official added that each cage can generate direct employment for around 10 people. Even if we start with 1,000 cages, it will provide 10,000 jobs and indirect employment to around 15,000 people, the official said requesting anonymity. Meanwhile, the government will get all clearances and permissions, which are needed for the project, so that those who wish to invest in fish cage farms are not discouraged by the tedious procedures, an official added.
Indian National Press (Bombay) Private Limited 2016.