Tauseef Ahmad
Bandipora,29:- In Bandipora district of North Kashmir around dozens of youths are earning fame and livelihood in Trout fish farming by harnessing natural resources of water of their area.
Local youths like Abdul Basit, a trainee journalist who had opened a fish farm in Sumlar village of Bandipora while speaking with the media, said that these days unemployment is a choice of educated youths, government had launched several schemes which can help youths to start their business units.
He also said that they are exporting around 2000 kilograms of Trout fish annually from which they earn around 15-20 lakhs of rupees.
Another young farmer Mohd Hussain Bhat, from the area said that their area is rich in fresh water resources. Around eight years ago the fisheries department helped them in opening the unit from which we now earn good income.
“We provide employments to more than 20 other youths in our village who works with us in these trout fish farms. We are thankful to the fisheries department for helping us in opening these units which now nt only provide us livelihood but to hundreds of families,” he said.
Meanwhile resource person Inam-ul-Haq Fisheries department Bandipora while sharing details said that the annual production of Trout fish has increased upto 200 tonnes in Bandipora district. “We have currently 40 trout fish farms running in Bandipora district, 20 are under construction which we have given under HADP and other schemes,”.
He also said that the hundreds of youths associated with trout fish farming in the district and are earning their livelihood with pride.
“We are committed to uplift the educated unemployed youths of the district,” he added.