Sindh government fails to initiate aquaculture, shrimp farming project

Sindh government has failed to initiate work on the Aqua culture and Shrimp farming project despite passage of more than one year, Business Recorder learnt on Tuesday. The Sindh Fisheries department had identified 20 thousand acres land in coastal belt for the purpose of Aquaculture and Shrimp farming project but matter has not been materialised yet, sources said.
Provincial government had to establish this project with the funding of Federal Government, for the welfare of fisherman community and development of fish industry in Sindh, sources said. They said that Fisheries department had made PC-1 of Aquaculture and Shrimp farming project about one and half year back.
According to PC-1, the cost of project was about Rs 2 billion, sources informed. They further said that Fisheries department had identified land in the coastal belt of Thatta and Badin districts where five new fish hatcheries would be made under this project.
They said that renovation of five old Fish hatcheries and model demonstration shrimp farms were also part of that Aquaculture and shrimp-farming project. Besides, Model Fish markets would be constructed under this project where the business of all kind of fish could be run easily, they added.
They said that the establishment of plain cage cultures on the identified land is also part of said project in order to make local fisherman financially strengthen. Sources claimed that Fisheries department had to start the work on said project about a year ago but failed to start it.
An official of Fisheries department told Business Recorder with condition of keeping his name in secret that if Sindh government would have started the project as per required time, millions of fisherman would have got benefits from it. He said that Sindh fish industry is big source of income to millions of people but unfortunately prior authorities of government are not taking interest to develop more projects in order to create opportunities for the people related with this industry.