A new era of fisheries begins in Chhattisgarh, the first aqua park will be built in Hasdeo Dubhan

Income of villagers will increase from production processing to aqua tourism

Raipur, 21 July 2025: A new era is going to start soon in the field of fish farming in Chhattisgarh. With the efforts of Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai, with the cooperation of the Central Government, the first Aqua Park is going to be established in Hasdeo Bango submerged reservoir in Korba district of the state. For this, an amount of more than Rs 37 crore 10 lakh has been approved from the Central Government under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana. This aqua park will be developed in hundreds of acres of submerged reservoir spread across Etama Nagar and Satrenga area. With the development of this aqua park, there will be a revolutionary change in the field of fish farming in the state. The income of the villagers of the area will increase from fish production to processing, sales, export and aqua tourism. Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai has expressed gratitude to the Central Government including Prime Minister Narendra Modi for approving the amount for the establishment of this park.

This aqua park to be developed in the submerged area of Hasdeo Bango reservoir in Korba district will have two types of facilities. Feed mill, fish processing plant, hatchery and recirculatory aqua culture system will be established in Etama Nagar. Museum and other facilities will be developed in Satrenga to promote aqua tourism. Facilities will be developed in Etama Nagar from production of fish to their processing and marketing as well as exporting them abroad. From fish seed production in hatcheries to supplementary nutrition in feed mills, all will be made here. In the fish processing plant, the entire arrangement for cleaning the fish, making fillets by removing bones and packing them with high-level quality packaging system and exporting them abroad will be done here. Apart from this processing unit of Etama Nagar, an aqua museum will be built in Satrenga. Satrenga is already the main water body of Chhattisgarh from the tourism point of view. After the aqua museum is built, various types of fish will be kept here for the information of tourists. Along with this, facilities of water sports including angling desk, cafeteria, floating house and motor boat will also be developed in Satrenga, which will increase tourism in the area. Tourism will increase employment opportunities at the local level and the income of local villagers will increase, which will improve their standard of living.

Aqua park will give a new direction to the fish business in the state – Chief Minister Say- On getting the approval of this aqua park, Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Say congratulated the fish farmers of the state and said that this aqua park will not only make new advanced techniques of fish farming available to the people, but the processing-packaging unit will give a new direction to the fish business of Chhattisgarh. He said that Chhattisgarh’s tilapia fish is in great demand abroad and the production of this fish in this aqua park will now open the doors of trade for the fish farmers of Chhattisgarh even across the seven seas. He described the establishment of the aqua park as a decision to make the state self-reliant in the field of fish farming.

Currently, fish is being produced in about 800 cages, more than 160 fishermen are taking advantage- Currently, about 800 cages have been installed in the submerged area of Hasdeo Bango reservoir. Where 160 members of about 9 fishermen committees are doing fish farming under the guidance of officials and technical experts of the fisheries department. They have been allotted five cages each. These members are getting an average net income of 90 thousand rupees annually from cage culture. Fishermen committee members Deepak Ram Manjhiwar, Amar Singh Manjhiwar and Devmati Uike said that not only have they got employment from cage culture, but their economic condition has improved due to increased fish production. About 1600 metric tons of fish is being produced every year in this area. 70 to 80 people are getting direct employment in fish farming through cage culture, while 20 to 25 vendors are getting fish every day to sell. Here, fish farming experts and departmental officials have trained the villagers with advanced techniques. Mainly Tilapia and Pangas fish are being produced in Hasdeo Bango Duban cage culture. Tilapia species of fish is in special demand in America and it is currently being exported in limited quantity. There is a plan to increase the export of this fish to other European countries including America by increasing the production of this fish by setting up an Aqua Park. With the increase in the export of this fish, a large number of villagers will join this business at the local level and their income will increase economic development in the region. Tourism will increase with the expansion of Aqua Park and establishment of demonstration unit in Satrenga along with Etama Nagar. People from the country and state will be able to enjoy various types of delicious fish dishes along with entertainment here, this will also provide employment opportunities to the local people and increase their income.