It has also been decided in principle to declare fisheries as an allied agricultural activity.
This was decided at a high-level meeting presided over by Chief Secretary Ajit Kumar Tripathy in the Secretariat on Wednesday. Besides, introduction of Kisan Credit Card for the fisheries sector is also on the cards. Final decision on these would be taken in the next meeting of the Cabinet.
The Revenue Department has been asked to complete the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) demarcation along the coast with assistance from the Orissa Remote Sensing Application Centre (ORSAC) to facilitate fish farming. Procedure for issue of CRZ certificates by the tehsildars would also be simplified. Liberal lease policy for use of the Government land for shrimp culture farms is also being contemplated.
A target has been fixed to double the present level of inland fish production of 1.9 lakh million tonnes. New tanks would be excavated in Government land and old ones renovated for leasing them out to the self-help groups (SHGs).
So far, 1,299 gram panchayat tanks have been given on long and short-term lease to the SHGs. About 60,000 tanks would be renovated under the Orissa Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (OREGS). Besides, the right of power on ponds would be transferred from the Revenue to Panchayati Raj Department.
Source: newindpress.com