Pawar dedicates NFDB to nation

Hyderabad, Sep 9 (UNI) Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar here today launched the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) with a budgetary support of Rs 2,100 crore upto 2012.

Unveiling the NFDB logo after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy launched the website of the institute, on the lines of the National Dairy Development Board (NFDB), Mr Pawar underscored the need for public-private partnerships, stronger centre-state linkages, institution-industry exchanges for a coordinated action to tap the huge potential.

The Institute would be in place next year and an amount of Rs 151 crore made availabe in the current fiscal, he said.

Lauding Dr Reddy for the State Government's proactive support by providing five acres for the institute and another 10 acres for state-of-the art fisheries unit, he said the NDDB would address important areas of intensive aquaculture in ponds and tanks, reservoir fisheries, coastal aquaculture and deep sea fishing.

NDDB would alsp address Tuna processing, Mariculture, Sea ranching, Seaweed cultivation, infrastructure for post-harvest processing, fish dressing centres and solar drying of fish and marketing, he added.

Observing that 14 million people were engaged in different aspects of fisheries, both in inland marine sectors and the country having a good research and development institutional set up, he pointed out fisheries and aquaculture were ideal to achieve integration and value addition in Indian agricuture.

Fresh water aquaculture was the fastest growing area in fisheries whether in Andhra Pradesh or Haryana, he said diversification of species and systems from carps to catfishes to ornamental fish, water management, feeds and cold chains for marketing to improve profitability from the present levels.

Integration with other farming systems and recycling of organic matter also required attention as also setting up of aqua shops as single window facility for seed, feed and other inputs and market linkages, he added.

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