Uttar Pradesh expands fisheries programme across ponds and rivers

The Uttar Pradesh government says it is expanding fisheries to provide a more reliable source of income for farmers and fishing communities. The programme focuses on better use of Gram Sabha ponds, reservoirs and rivers. The state said more than 80,000 hectares of community ponds had been leased for fisheries, 2,205 kilometres of rivers had been placed under organised leasing arrangements and 342 reservoirs were supporting fish production.

Mukesh Kumar Meshram, additional chief secretary in the Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fisheries Department, said the approach had improved transparency, efficiency and community participation. He said fish production had increased from 6.29 lakh tonnes to 15.90 lakh tonnes during the past eight years. The state attributed the growth to scientific fish culture, improved resource management, government schemes, modern methods and collective investment models.

Meshram said the expansion had created employment opportunities for thousands of rural households and improved income stability. He added that the government was seeking to increase productivity without depleting ecological resources. The state’s approach, he said, was intended to use underused water resources more efficiently, raise farmers’ incomes and promote sustainable fisheries management.

The programme combines leasing arrangements with efforts to make fishing and fish production more organised. The government said its goal was to balance economic growth with ecological sustainability while extending the benefits of fisheries to rural communities. The source material did not provide a detailed breakdown of the number of beneficiaries or the specific financial value of the fisheries sector.