Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal today visited the College of Fisheries under Assam Agriculture University at Raha, Nagaon. He interacted with the teachers and students of the institute and took stock of the courses and trainings imparted there.
Urging the teachers and students of the college to help the Fishery Department, Government of Assam to properly implement Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana in the State and contribute towards achieving the goal of the State government to make Assam one of the top fish exporting states in the country. He also said that the State produced 3.35 lakh MT of fish in 2019-20 and FISHFED sold fish worth Rs. 180 crore during the first two
phases of lockdown.
Sonowal exhorted teachers and students of the college to reach out to the fish farmers of the State and guide them to double their production and thereby increase their income. He also urged them to inform the fish farmers about latest technologies in this sector so that they can derive benefit by adopting those technologies.
He also informed that Rs. 20 thousand crore was allocated for fishery sector by the Central Government in the Rs. 20 lakh crore economic stimulus package announced by Prime Minister Modi in the aftermath of COVID-19 lockdown to revive country’s economy and Assam government has already submitted proposals worth Rs. 1000 crore for deriving
maximum benefit from that package. Being the only fishery college in the State, the institute has the responsibility to contribute towards the development of the fishery sector and help in the economic growth of the State, he said.
The Chief Minister also visited the newly constructed auditorium of the institute and took stock of other facilities as well.