Our Correspondent
Kohima | April 17
Fisheries, Evaluation, Economics & Statistics Advisor L. Khumo Khiamniungan today assured that he would put his best effort to get through the cadre review of the Fisheries Department and also to pursue for changing the nomenclature of the department into Department of Fisheries & Aquatic Resources.
Khumo said this during the felicitation programme organized in his honour by Fisheries Department here at Hotel Vivor. Referring to the present strength of 310 manpower of the department, he assured to take up the matter with the government for increasing the manpower. The department has already proposed creation of 42 posts for four districts of the state but the same is yet to be materialized.
Touching on PDA government’s slogan ‘Change is coming’ Khumo stressed on the need to go for physical verification of various projects and undertakings to bring about a pragmatic change. He maintained that change will happen through the effective implementation of the various projects on the ground. He said although fisheries department is a small one, it has a big role to play in boosting the rural economy through fishery activities. Khumo expressed happiness that the department has been reaching the grassroot across the state. Further, he called upon the officers to continue to render its best services and live up to people’s expectation.
T. Mhabemo Yanthan, secretary, department of fisheries Nagaland said the total fish production of the state is 8200 MT which covers about 30% of the total requirement of fish consumption in the state. He stressed on the need to strive to bridge the gap by adopting various measures.
Referring to PDA government calling every department to set target to be carried out within the first 100 days which also connected with the slogan ‘Change is coming’ Yanthan asked, “What will be our progress report in the next 100 days?” In this, he urged the department to come out with a concrete action plan in order to justify the department in front of the people and to the government.
Kevisa Kense, director fisheries Nagaland requested Khumo to sincerely take up cadre review of the department which has been agreed upon by the planning and finance department and the same is to be put up to the cabinet for approval.
He also stated that the fisheries department was trying to change the nomenclature of the department into Department of Fisheries & Aquatic Resources and the file is now with the P &AR.
Kense requested Khumo to take up the matter with Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio for cabinet approval.
Dr. Vimezo Kire, president NFTA and R. Wati Imchen, registrar also spoke at the function. The programme concluded with vote of thanks proposed by Neitho-o Kuotsu, deputy director of fisheries.
It may be recalled that the fisheries department has been playing a pivotal role in the economic development by virtue of its potential contribution to employment generation, income augmentation, addressing food and nutritional security concerns etc. The department envisages local production to about 8990.5 MT and in addition, a bulk quantity of 3700-3750 MT fish may be supplemented from outside the state to meet the demand of fish consumption.
“This available fish consumption could achieve a per capita consumption of 6.43 kgs only, which is much below the nutritional requirement of 11 kgs per capita consumption as per WHO recommendations. Thus, there exists a huge demand–supply gap in the state as far as fish production is concerned,” according to the annual administrative report of the department 2017-18 tabled in the recent state legislative assembly session.
