BARRACKPORE: Jul 10: Eying on gathering first hand information and familiarization with its activities and plan and policies under outreach programmes, Arunachal Agriculture Minister Gabriel D Wangsu embarked on a maiden visit to one of India’s premier fishery institutes, the CIFRI (Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute) based at Barrackpore in West Bengal today.
On the occasion, Wangsu, who also holds the portfolio of Fisheries, got engaged in an extensive discussion with the Director CIFRI Dr Basanta Kumar Das on a wide range of topics of fisheries and aquaculture.
The visiting Minister was assured of all possible support by CIFRI on key issues including in training for capacity building, enhancement of production in open water resources, research and development of low cost feed from locally available ingredients, exploratory survey of fish biodiversity in the rivers and streams of the hilly State.
Moreover, CIFRI expressed eagerness to extend cooperation for knowledge and technology partnership in the management of reservoirs and wetlands, application of drone technology in the management of aquaculture practices and water analysis for physico-chemical parameters.
Later, Wangsu joined the celebration of National Fish Farmers Day, amid the presence of the Minister for Fisheries, Govt of West Bengal, Biplab Roychowdhury, the entire CIFRI fraternity and fish farmers of West Bengal at the CIFRI complex here, wherein the visiting dignitary was accorded a warm reception by the scientists and staff of the institute.
Greeting all the scientists and fish farmers of the country for prosperity through fisheries and aquaculture on the occasion, Wangsu observed that fishery tops the hierarchy of the agriculture and allied sectors, and that tapping all potentials of fisheries can definitely help the nation prosper manifold.
In the course of the day, Wangsu went around all the facilities including laboratories and experimental units at the institute and had interactions with the lead scientists and took stock of various research activities being taken up by the institute and the benefits these brought for the farmers.
Earlier in the day, the Minister released fish fingerlings in the river Ganga running nearby the institute as a part of river ranching programme for stock enhancement and conservation in river Ganga. Around 1 lakh fish fingerlings of Indian Major Carbs were released at Gandhi Ghat in Ganga.
The Agriculture Minister was accompanied by Hage Tari, Secretary Fisheries (GoAP), and officers from the Directorate of Fisheries, Itanagar besides ARC, Kolkata. (DIPR)