SHILLONG: The second phase of the Rs 51-crore Aqua Culture Mission will be launched on Tuesday by Fisheries Minister Comingone Ymbon.
The first phase of the Aqua Culture Mission was from 2012 till 2017 which, however, had faced flak for its tardy implementation though there was increase in fish production.
Ymbon said out of Rs 51 crore, half of the money has already been released.
While the state government will provide 60 per cent grant, 25 per cent will be loan component from the bank and the beneficiaries will bear the remaining 15 per cent.
According to Ymbon, since bank loan is involved, there will be proper monitoring of the scheme.
The components of the scheme include construction of more fish ponds by farmers, convergence of the scheme with MGNREGS and building of 10 fish feed mill plants and an aqua park which will be a tourist attraction.
Despite the increase in production of fish from 4,000 metric tonnes (MT) in 2012 to 8,000 MT in 2017 after the first phase of Aqua Culture Mission, Ymbon said currently the demand for fish in the state is 15,000 MT per year.
