'Now, electricity at subsidised rates and zero-interest loan facility for fish farming'

Raipur: "Fishery has been given the status equivalent to agriculture in Chhattisgarh, and now people practising fish farming will be provided benefits of electricity supply at subsidized rates and zero-interest loan facility, as provided in the agriculture. This will benefit the fishermen and help the ones who could not do fish farming due to their weak economic condition. More and more people from the fishing community should also come forward to take advantage of these provisions," said Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel while virtually addressing the 'oath-taking ceremony' of the Vice-Chairman and members of Chhattisgarh Fishermen Welfare Board from his office located in Vidhan Sabha premises here on Friday.

In the programme, Chhattisgarh Fishermen Welfare Board's Vice-Chairman Rajendra Dhimar, members Dinesh Futan, Dev Kunwar Nishad, R.N. Aditya, Prabhu Mallah, Vijay Dhimar and Amrita Nishad, took oath of office.

On this occasion, Chairman of the Board MR. Nishad, Chairman of Chhattisgarh Text Book Corporation Shailesh Nitin Trivedi and former MLA Dilip Laharia were also present.

Congratulating the newly appointed Vice-Chairman and members of Chhattisgarh Fishermen Welfare Board, Chief Minister Baghel said that every district from north to south and east to west in the state have people from fishermen community, rivers, ponds, and drains. Since time immemorial, people have been practicing fish farming and vegetable cultivation for their sustenance. Ponds and dams are allocated for fish farming by making committees. Often it is reported that people from fisherman community are unable to get the work and sometimes even when the work is available, people of the community are unable to do fish farming because of their weak economic condition. They are often forced to work for big traders for small wages. But now with facilities and benefits similar to agriculture, people will be able to do fish farming easily and profitably.

The Chief Minister said that there is good potential for fishery in the state.