Govt announces ₹100 crore Integrated Aqua Park in Jammu Kashmir’s Anantnag district

Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying and Panchayati Raj, on Saturday announced the sanction of a ₹100 crore Integrated Aqua Park project in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir. 

The announcement was made during the National Conference on Cold Water Fisheries held at the Sher-e-Kashmir International Conference Centre in Srinagar. 

The project aims to strengthen aquaculture infrastructure, boost cold-water fisheries development, increase fish production and generate employment opportunities in the region.

During the event, the minister also released the “Model Guidelines for the Development of Cold-Water Fisheries”, aimed at supporting sustainable and scientific development of the sector.

The conference was attended by Manoj Sinha, Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir; Chief Minister Omar Abdullah; Minister of State S. P. Singh Baghel; and J&K Minister Javid Ahmad Dar. During the programme, awards were presented to fisheries cooperative societies, progressive fish farmers, Kisan Credit Card beneficiaries and fisheries start-ups from across the Union Territory for their contributions to aquaculture and trout farming. Several beneficiaries also received refrigerated vehicles and three-wheelers to strengthen post-harvest handling, last-mile transportation and market access.

Addressing the gathering, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said the Integrated Aqua Park would act as a catalyst for the region’s fisheries sector and strengthen livelihoods for fish farmers. He noted that the Himalayan region holds significant potential for cold-water fisheries and that systematic investments in hatcheries, feed mills and recirculating aquaculture systems were helping modernise the sector.

Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh stressed the need to scale up trout production and strengthen the incomes of cold-water fish farmers through improved productivity, value addition and export opportunities. He urged states and Union Territories to organise fish farmers into cooperatives and farmer producer organisations to help them access government schemes, infrastructure and credit facilities.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah highlighted the importance of sustainably utilising the region’s cold-water resources and called for wider adoption of scientific practices and modern technologies in aquaculture. He said innovation, collaboration with academic institutions and adoption of best practices from other regions would help expand cold-water fisheries while maintaining ecological balance.

Officials from the Union government noted that India’s cold-water fisheries sector includes more than 278 species and has strong potential in niche markets, eco-tourism and value-added products. The conference saw participation from more than 10,000 stakeholders in hybrid mode, including officials, scientists, industry representatives, fisheries cooperatives, start-ups and farmers from across the country.