Brings New Ray of Hope to the Fishing Community
Denis Giles, Diglipur: The first ever Fish Festival – the first of its kind in the Islands got underway at Subhas Gram Mela Ground, Diglipur. The three-day long festival is being organized under the ‘National Rural livelihood Mission’, launched by the Govt. under ‘Pandit Deendayal Upaadhyaay Antyoday Scheme.
Inaugurating the festival, the Chief Guest on the occasion, Assistant Commissioner, Shri Ankit Yadav said that in order to provide better self-employment opportunities and facilities to the rural people, the Govt. has launched this ‘National Aajivika Mission’, and the people should avail the opportunities under the scheme. He congratulated NABARD and the Fisheries Federation for coming up with the idea of conducting such festival, which is first of its kind in the Islands.
The Deputy General Manager, NABARD, Chief Medical Officer, Pradhan, PRI Members were also present on the occasion. There are more than 20 stalls set up by the Agriculture department, Fisheries federation and local Self Help groups. Apart from the stalls of Fisheries Department and Federation, where aquariums with varieties of fishes, fishing gears and equipment, Banners, Posters depicting the techniques of Fish breeding, rearing, which are kept on display, the stalls of the Self Help Groups are also drawing the attention of the visitors.
Talking to the Journalists, the Chairman of the North-Middle Andaman Fisheries Cooperative Ltd, Shri Dilip Roy said that the National Mission has brought new ray of hope to the fishing community. There is huge scope for self-employment in fisheries sector. He is hopeful that the fishery industry will blossom once the International flights get operational, as the local marketing space in the Islands is limited.
The number of Self Help Groups in this North Andaman region has grown substantially in the recent times. The Area coordinator of the ‘Aajivika Mission’, Shri Satyajit Samaddar informed ‘Andaman Chronicle’ that the ladies of the rural areas are showing keen interest in forming SHGs. Presently there are more than 270 SHGs in North Andaman which has improved the economic conditions of their families. The SHGs have adopted dairy, poultry and vegetable cultivation.
The President of the ‘Janani’ Self Help Group, Smti Meera Rani Das informed they are earning well in engaging themselves in Catering Business as well. There are 21 SHGs in the Sita Nagar village alone. She too felt the need of having more cold storage facilities, so that the members of the groups may get encouraged to do vegetable cultivation.
The festival also includes Cultural Programmes in the evening which tends to attract more visitors to the venue.
