Shimla: In yet another step to boost the rural economy, Punjab Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu has cleared the proposal to set up an Rs 25 cr integrated aqua park at Nadaun in Hamirpur.
This is the third major project in the Chief Minister’s constituency after sanctioning an Rs 43 cr ADB-funded large-scale hotel complex and Rs 65 cr world-class multi-purpose indoor sports complex. Both projects are under construction.
The state-of-the-art sports complex is designed to provide amenities like an eight-lane swimming pool, shooting range, wrestling and boxing arenas, Kabaddi and yoga centres, and infrastructure for table tennis and badminton
The integrated Aqua Park, on the banks of the Beas River, will serve as a hub for employment generation, self-employment, and livelihood creation, transforming the fisheries sector into a profitable and sustainable enterprise.
The land for the project has already been identified, and the Detailed Project Report (DPR) has been prepared by ICAR–CIFA, Bhubaneswar.
The park, says a senior official of the government, will act as a center for the dissemination of modern freshwater aquaculture technologies to the grassroots level, empowering youth and farmers through diverse aquaculture and allied ventures such as fish seed production, fish feed formulation, value addition, and marketing.
By ensuring the availability of high-quality fish feed, the Aqua Park will help increase fish production and profitability for local farmers. It will also feature demonstration units for fish feed formulation and advanced aquaculture practices, providing practical training to unemployed youth and promoting self-employment in the sector.
As per the proposal, the park will focus on producing superior-quality seed of Indian Major Carps (Rohu – Jayanti Rohu, Catla – Amrit Catla, and Mrigal), Exotic Carps (Hungarian and Amur strains), Minor Carps (Kulwans), Catfishes (Pangasius and Murrels), and Ornamental Fishes (Gold Fish, Koi Carp, Guppy, and Molly).
Equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructure, the Aqua Park will include modern hatchery facilities for carps and catfishes, nursery and rearing units, broodstock raising facilities, high-end aquaculture systems such as Biofloc and Recirculatory Aquaculture System (RAS), a feed mill, ornamental fish rearing units, a public aquarium, an aqua shop with marketing and incubation facilities, an administrative-cum-laboratory and training complex, a quarantine and wet laboratory, an effluent treatment plant, and other essential amenities.
Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu said, “Strengthening the rural economy remains a key priority for the government, and the fisheries sector can play a pivotal role in enhancing farmers’ income. The department has been directed to adopt and promote modern aquaculture practices among farmers to ensure they receive remunerative returns for their hard work.”