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Centre plans Rs 100-crore Aqua Park to boost cold-water fisheries in J&K

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jj correspondent
JAMMU: In a major step to improve fish farming and support rural jobs in Jammu and Kashmir, the Centre is considering a ?100-crore plan to set up an Integrated Aqua Park under Phase-II of the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY).
This was announced by Union Fisheries Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh (Lalan Singh) at an event held at the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology(SKUAST) in Srinagar. He said the park will promote cold-water aquaculture, help farmers connect to markets, and provide strong infrastructure.
The minister was joined by J&K Agriculture Minister Javid Ahmad Dar, Animal Husbandry Secretary Alka Upadhyaya, and officials from the central and UT governments. Progressive farmers from across Kashmir also attended.
Singh said the Centre is focused on improving rural incomes by supporting small livestock and fisheries businesses. A detailed plan is being prepared in partnership with the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) to help farmers get better access to markets.
He said the huge growth in the fisheries sector in the Union Territory. Fish production increased from 20,000 metric tons (MT) in 2013-14 to 29,000 MT in 2024-25. Trout production rose from 262 MT to 2,380 MT-an 80 per cent jump. Trout seed production also grew from 9 million to 15.2 million, while carp seed production went up from 40 million to 63.5 million.
To improve seed quality, India imported 13.4 lakh eyed ova of Rainbow and Brown Trout from Denmark. More than ?120 crore in private investment in cold-water fisheries has been supported through the FIDF scheme. Anantnag has already been made a Cold-Water Fisheries Cluster, with Kulgam and Shopian as partner districts.
Earlier, the minister and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah chaired a review meeting and virtually inaugurated a 50,000-litre-per-day milk processing plant in Jammu.
Singh said the proposed Aqua Park is an important step to bring sustainable growth and jobs to rural J&K.

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LG flags ojj correspondent Jammu, July 2: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday flagged off the first batch of Amarnath pilgrims numbering over 5,880 amid multi-tier security cover, marking the beginning of this year’s pilgrimage from here. The 38-day pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre high shrine will commence on July 3 from the Valley via the twin tracks — the traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag district and the 14-km shorter but steeper Baltal route in Ganderbal district. A batch of 5,892 pilgrims, including 1,115 women, 31 children and 16 transgenders left the base camp in the first batch at 4.30 am to join the annual Amarnath pilgrimage, officials said. The yatra will conclude on August 9. More than 3.31 lakh devotees have registered so far for this year’s Amarnath Yatra, officials said. The L-G performed pooja soon after his arrival at the high-security Bhagwati Nagar base camp and later flagged off the yatra for the twin base camps in Kashmir, officials said. Sinha was flanked by local MLAs, top officials and heads of various religious organisations during the flagging-off ceremony. “I have flagged off the first batch of pilgrims of Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra from Bhagwati Nagar base camp. Wishing all spiritual seekers a safe and comfortable journey to the holy abode of Lord Shiva for a deeply soul-stirring experience. Prayed to Baba Amarnath for peace and blessings to all,” Sinha said. “The devotees from all over the country are here. It feels like there is a big festival in Jammu city. The enthusiasm is very high. The devotees of Bholenath have defied all terror threats and are coming here in large numbers for darshan of Bholenath,” Sinha added. On security, he said the yatra is being monitored 24×7 from the Integrated Command and Control Centre at Raj Bhawan and the Police Control Room, while an RFID-based tracking system has also been put in place. He said a 100-bed hospital has been constructed by ONGC at both the Chandanwari and Baltal Yatra base camps. He added that a board office and Yatri Niwas have been inaugurated in Srinagar. “We will also be inaugurating such a facility in Baltal on July 4,” he said. “The facilities for devotees coming for the Amarnath Yatra have improved since 2022. Twin routes leading to the cave shrine of Amarnath used to be six feet wide, which are now twelve feet wide,” he said. Amid chants of “Bum Bum Bhole” and “Har Har Mahadev”, enthusiastic pilgrims numbering over 4,000 braved heavy rain as they left in a convoy of vehicles for Amarnath from Jammu, which was transformed into a city of divinity. Undeterred by the Pahalgam terrorist attack that left 26 people dead on April 22, the pilgrims said the increasing number of devotees thronging the yatra will send a befitting reply to terrorists and Pakistan — that they do not fear them. Sarwanand Patel, a yatri from Gujarat who left in the first batch from Jammu, said, “No matter how many attacks happen or how many bombs are hurled, devotees will not be deterred. We are not scared. Pilgrims will definitely come for darshan. I want to tell the nation that there is no need to be afraid. The large number of pilgrims is a befitting reply to them.” Sunita, a teenage pilgrim from Uttar Pradesh, said they had planned to be part of the first batch and today it became a reality. “We are happy to get darshan of Bholenath in the first batch. We are not scared because we know the security would be adequate. The arrangements are very good — food, accommodation, sanitation, and all facilities,” she said. Another devotee, Ramesh Chander, who has been travelling to Amarnath for the past nine years, praised the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board and the administration for making the best possible arrangements. “These are the best arrangements. We pray that everybody gets darshan in peace. There is nothing to fear. The Army and other security forces are here to guard the yatra.” The pilgrimage began from Jammu as a convoy ferried devotees to the twin base camps of Pahalgam and Baltal amid heavy security escort, traffic restrictions, and area domination along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, officials said. Traffic restrictions will be imposed on various routes from July 2 to August 9, and daily advisories will be issued to minimise inconvenience, a traffic officer said, adding that cut-off timings have been fixed for each sector on the highway, which is monitored through CCTV surveillance. Apart from the over 3.30 lakh yatris registered for this year’s yatra, on-the-spot registration of devotees arriving for the pilgrimage has also started in Jammu, they said. Jammu has come under a security blanket with enhanced measures, including a multi-layered security grid and the use of technology for surveillance. Soon after the flagging off, J-K BJP President Sat Sharma said that thousands of devotees have come for the darshan of Baba Amarnath. “The atmosphere created two months ago by the terror incident (in Pahalgam) has been replaced by religious fervour and divinity. People have faith that they are in safe hands in Jammu and Kashmir,” Sharma said. The DIG of Doda-Kishtwar-Ramban range, Shridhar Patil, said that no drones or any other flying objects will be permitted along the yatra route without prior permission from the concerned deputy commissioner. “All aerial activities in the area are prohibited to maintain tight security. Anyone violating this rule will face strict action,” he warned.ff first batch of Amarnath Yatra pilgrims from Jammu amid multi-tier security
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