Bhubaneswar: A training programme on “Freshwater aquaculture as a livelihood option for tribal youths of Assam” has been started at ICAR-Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture, Kausalyaganga, Bhubaneswar, Odisha from 6 November, 2017. It will continue till 10 November, 2017. The programme is sponsored by 21st Battalion, Mahar Regiment, Indian Army. In this programme 20 tribal youths from frontier areas of Assam are getting trained in new techniques of freshwater aquaculture practices.
The inaugural function of the programme was held on 6 November, 2017 at ICAR-CIFA Conference Hall. Dr George John, Former Adviser, Department of Biotechnology, Government of India and Former Vice-chancellor, Birsa Agriculture University, Ranchi, Jharkhand was the Chief Guest. He appreciated the role of Indian Army in exposing the unemployed tribal youths to scientific aquaculture practices at a famous institute like ICAR-CIFA. He urged to have the linkage among the Indian Army, trained farming community and ICAR-CIFA for information sharing in freshwater aquaculture in Assam State.
Dr. J.K. Sundaray, Director, ICAR-CIFA, Kausalyaganga was the president of the function. He highlighted the role of ICAR-CIFA for research in frontier areas of the freshwater aquaculture and dissemination of the technologies to the farming communities in different regions of the country. He encouraged the participants to get as much knowledge about fish culture from ICAR-CIFA and to act as rural scientists in their locality.
Dr. B.C. Mohapatra, Principal Scientist and Chairman, Tribal Sub Plan acted as the Course Director of the programme. He welcomed the participants and guests to the programme and informed the gathering regarding the role of ICAR-CIFA for dissemination of aquaculture technologies to the tribal communities of India through TSP and NEH Programmes of the institute. He also enumerated the success stories of the institute in the aquaculture sector before the participants. Heads of the Divisions, Scientists, Technical Officers of ICAR-CIFA and KVK (Khorda); and members of 21 Battalion, The Mahar Regiment, Indian Army were present in the occasion.
As Guest of Honors, Dr Manas Kumar Sinha, Senior Executive, National Fisheries Development Board, Hyderabad and Mr. Subrat Das, District Fisheries Officer, Kausalyaganga, Government of Odisha also spoke in the occasion. The representative from the 21 Battalion, Mahar Regiment of Indian Army, Assam thanked ICAR-CIFA for giving training to the tribal youths of Assam consecutively for the last three years. It is also known that after training, these tribal youths are practicing freshwater aquaculture in scientific way in their ponds and locality. These trainings are sponsored by the Indian Army for socio-economic development of youths of frontier areas of Assam.
Mr. I Sivaraman, Scientist, ICAR-CIFA and Coordinator of the programme proposed the vote of thanks.
ICAR-CIFA is the premiere freshwater fisheries research institute of the country and has invented many innovative technologies since its inception and contributed immensely towards the blue revolution in the country. Under the Government of India Tribal Sub-plan Programme (TSP), the tribal farmers of the country are given demonstrations in their localities and imparted with training on different scientific aquaculture methods like fish breeding and hatchery operation, nursery rearing, grow out culture and integrated fish farming, etc. Presently the TSP activities of the institutes are going on in West Bengal, Odisha, Gujarat, Kerala and other states of North East.
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