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By Express News Service
RANCHI: Abandoned mines are being used by the district administration in generating livelihood for the youths through fish farming in the rebel-hit West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand. The move has helped youths to become self-reliant and also checked the migration of the workforce to other states.
According to officials, it has not only helped in generating livelihood and checking migration of the workforce but also helped in dealing with the rampant malnutrition in the region. The scheme was notified during the COVID period as several migrants who had returned from other states were sitting idle at home, they said.
“A society of displaced persons was formed and fish farming was started with cage culture which has generated a source of income for many in the region. In addition to that, boating is also being done in these abandoned mines through which they also earn some money,” said District Fishery Officer Jayant Ranjan. They are also getting fish in abundance for their own consumption which has been helping to deal with the rampant malnutrition in the region, he added.
Ranjan said that presently, it has been done in two abundant mines and they are looking forward to expand it in the entire district as West Singhbhum has a lot of mines. People have been asked to form a society so that it could be started in their areas also, he added.
The two mines in which cage culture is being done are limestone mines — at Kamarhatu in Sadar block and Karanjia in Jagannathpur block, spread over 8-10 acres of land.
“The scheme was started a year ago as many of the migrants who returned home from other districts were sitting idle at home. The scheme has also helped us in checking migration as people are getting livelihood opportunities at their home only,” said Ranjan.
Interestingly, the beneficiaries are the original owners of the land whose land was acquired several years back for mining purposes leading to their displacement.
“One society constitutes around 50 people by registering themselves with the cooperative society. One abundant mine contains around 25 cages and about 2-3 tonnes of fish are produced from each of the cages in one season and there are two caging seasons in one calendar year,” said a beneficiary Arjun Mahapatra. All support is provided by the district administration for cage culture from which they earn nearly 1.5 lakh per head per annum, he added.
According to Mahapatra, migration has reduced and the youths in the region are becoming self-sufficient through fish farming. Notably, the move also earned praise from Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who hailed it as an effort to make youths self-reliant.
RANCHI: Abandoned mines are being used by the district administration in generating livelihood for the youths through fish farming in the rebel-hit West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand. The move has helped youths to become self-reliant and also checked the migration of the workforce to other states.
According to officials, it has not only helped in generating livelihood and checking migration of the workforce but also helped in dealing with the rampant malnutrition in the region. The scheme was notified during the COVID period as several migrants who had returned from other states were sitting idle at home, they said.
“A society of displaced persons was formed and fish farming was started with cage culture which has generated a source of income for many in the region. In addition to that, boating is also being done in these abandoned mines through which they also earn some money,” said District Fishery Officer Jayant Ranjan. They are also getting fish in abundance for their own consumption which has been helping to deal with the rampant malnutrition in the region, he added. googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
Ranjan said that presently, it has been done in two abundant mines and they are looking forward to expand it in the entire district as West Singhbhum has a lot of mines. People have been asked to form a society so that it could be started in their areas also, he added.
The two mines in which cage culture is being done are limestone mines — at Kamarhatu in Sadar block and Karanjia in Jagannathpur block, spread over 8-10 acres of land.
“The scheme was started a year ago as many of the migrants who returned home from other districts were sitting idle at home. The scheme has also helped us in checking migration as people are getting livelihood opportunities at their home only,” said Ranjan.
Interestingly, the beneficiaries are the original owners of the land whose land was acquired several years back for mining purposes leading to their displacement.
“One society constitutes around 50 people by registering themselves with the cooperative society. One abundant mine contains around 25 cages and about 2-3 tonnes of fish are produced from each of the cages in one season and there are two caging seasons in one calendar year,” said a beneficiary Arjun Mahapatra. All support is provided by the district administration for cage culture from which they earn nearly 1.5 lakh per head per annum, he added.
According to Mahapatra, migration has reduced and the youths in the region are becoming self-sufficient through fish farming. Notably, the move also earned praise from Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who hailed it as an effort to make youths self-reliant.
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