Ujjain, July 12 (IANS) Chief Minister Mohan Yadav will address ‘Nishadraj Sammelan’ in Ujjain on Saturday, aimed at increasing the income of the fishing community and accelerating the state’s fisheries-driven development model.

The conference will be organised by the Madhya Pradesh Fisheries Federation (MPFF) and the Department of Fisheries, in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of fisheries as a growth driver.

Thus state-level ‘sammelan’ at the Kalidas Sanskrit Academy premises in Ujjain is expected to witness a large gathering of fishers from across the state.

The programme will commence at 1 p.m., according to the official statement.

On this occasion, Chief Minister Yadav will virtually perform the ‘bhoomipoojan’ for several major initiatives, including 453 Smart Fish Parlours worth Rs 22.65 crore.

He will also perform ‘bhoomipoojan’ of an aquapark being built at a cost of Rs 40 crore and enhanced fish production and employment generation through 3,060 cages at Indira Sagar Reservoir with a total investment of Rs 91.80 crore during the event.

CM Yadav will also distribute sanction letters for 430 motorcycles equipped with ice boxes and 100 units, sanction letters for 396 fish cages and feed mill beneficiaries and awards to outstanding fishermen and fisheries cooperative societies for exemplary work.

Additionally, the Chief Minister will transfer Rs 9.63 crore in deferred wages to members of the State Fisheries Federation with a single click and will also distribute royalty cheques.

The government stated that Madhya Pradesh has a total water area of 4.42 lakh hectares, with fish farming conducted in 4.40 lakh hectares.

The government claimed the state had achieved 98 per cent of its targeted fish production last year, producing 3.81 lakh metric tonnes. There are 2,595 registered fishermen cooperative societies with 95,417 members actively involved in fish farming.

Later in the evening, Chief Minister Yadav is scheduled to leave for New Delhi.

–IANS

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