Rs 100 Cr Aqua Park On The Cards For J & K

(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer) Srinagar- In a major boost to Jammu and Kashmir's aquaculture sector, the Union Government is considering a ₹100 crore proposal to establish an Integrated Aqua Park under Phase-II of the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY). The announcement was made by Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Rajiv Ranjan Singh, during an event at the Shalimar Convention Centre, SKUAST-Kashmir.

Highlighting the cold-water fisheries potential of the region, the Minister said the proposed Aqua Park would serve as a model for holistic cold-water aquaculture development, focusing on infrastructure, innovation, and sustainable livelihoods.

In a significant move, the Ministry has also formally designated Anantnag as a Cold-Water Fisheries Cluster, with Kulgam and Shopian identified as partner districts. The initiative will promote integrated value-chain development, including hatcheries, feed mills, processing units, and market linkages.

“Over ₹120 crore in private investment has already been mobilized under the Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF), and we are committed to building strong infrastructure to support fish farmers,” the Minister said.

He also revealed that J&K's trout production has seen a remarkable rise-from just 262 metric tonnes in 2013–14 to 2,380 MT in 2023–24, marking an increase of over 800%. Trout seed production rose from 9 million to 15.2 million, while carp seed production increased from 40 million to 63.5 million.

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The transformation is largely credited to flagship schemes like the Blue Revolution, FIDF, and PMMSY, which have strengthened the fisheries ecosystem across the Union Territory.

The Union Minister also disclosed that ₹300 crore out of the ₹852 crore allocated for Himalayan and Northeastern states under PMMSY has been earmarked for J&K alone.

“Aquaculture holds immense potential for income generation and employment in the region. We are focused on supporting youth, building infrastructure, and linking fish farmers directly to markets,” he stated.

Earlier in the day, Rajiv Ranjan Singh co-chaired a high-level review meeting with the Chief Minister at Civil Secretariat, Srinagar, and virtually inaugurated a 50,000 LPD UHT Milk Processing Plant at Satwari, Jammu.

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