Fishery brings hope to Assam youths who lost jobs amid Covid-19

With the Covid-19 pandemic keeping viewers away from cultural stages for months, popular Assamese singer Bipin Chowdang's income went for a toss.

Instead of eagerly waiting for withdrawal of the Covid-19 restrictions, Chowdang and his wife, Monoshree chose an unusual vocation in fishery. With a government subsidy of Rs 5.04 lakh together with their share of Rs 3.36 lakh under a government scheme, Bipin and Monoshree completed excavation work of a new pond in one-hectare land at Khoomtai Chakalia village in eastern Assam's Charaideo district.

"The duo approached the fishery department for financial support and technical know-how. They now want to transform the pond into an integrated fish farm and an agro-tourism spot," said Pratul Deka, fisheries development officer attached to fisheries minister, Parimal Suklabaidya.

Not just the singer, restaurant owners, private tutors and migrant workers, whose income was severely hit by the pandemic, over 20,000 such people have taken up fishery since the pandemic hit Assam.

With more and more youths who lost jobs and income looking for a new source of earning, the fisheries department recently launched a new scheme for promoting intensive aquaculture through biofloc technology.

Fisheries Minister Parimal Suklabaidya said the scheme which already got many takers will provide livelihood support to entrepreneurs, unemployed youths and interested progressive fish farmers and will also increase fish production in the state.

"The scheme is most suitable for youths who are facing unemployment during the pandemic times," said Suklabaidya.

The biofloc-based farming system is a new technology for the promotion of intensive fish/shrimp production in a small area. A person having small landholding (as small as 150-200 square metre of land) and having either municipal piped water supply or bore well water supply can establish this business with a small investment.

"The programme aims to support fish farmers and young entrepreneurs for livelihood support," he said.

Assam has traditionally depended on Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Bengal for fish supplies but the state's local fish production has increased substantially in the past few years due to the government's emphasis on the fishery sector to create jobs and increase revenue.

The department recently said the state's local production increased from 2.94 lakh metric tons in 2016-17 to 3.93 lakh metric tons in 2020-21. Assam's fish demand stands at 4 lakh metric tons at present.

The per capita fish consumption has also gone up from 8.5 kg per annum to 11.88 kg per annum during the same period.

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