About Rs. 40 million spent in Solu for fishery subsidy

By Our Correspondent, Solukhumbu, Aug. 17: About Rs. 40 million has been spent from the government for fish farming in the mountainous district of Solukhumbu.

Veterinary Hospital and Animal Services Expert Centre Okhaldhunga and Directorate of Livestock and Fisheries Development, Biratnagar distributed about Rs. 39.6 million to 12 firms in different places of the district for trout farming during the last four fiscal years.

The recipients of the grant are Mahakulung Rainbow Trout Fishery Block Committee of Mahakulung Rural Municipality-1, Khumbu Agri-business and Fish Farming Group of Khumbu Pasanglhamu Rural Municipality-1, Solu Rainbow Trout Fishery Group of Solududhakunda Municipality-9, Thulung Mahakulung Rainbow Trout Development Group of Thulung Dudhkoshi Rural Municipality-7 and Sagarmatha Multipurpose Agricultural and Livestock Firm of Solududhakunda Municipality-10.

Similarly, Sujan Shashi Agriculture and Livestock Firm of Solududhakunda Municipality-9, Sagarmatha Agricultural Business and Fish Centre of Khumbu Pasanglhamu Rural Municipality-1, Raja Multipurpose Hatchery Agricultural and Livestock Firm of Thulung Dudhkoshi Rural Municipality-9, Mama Bhanja Multipurpose Agriculture and Fish Centre of Mapya Dudhkoshi Rural Municipality-2, according to Veterinary Hospital and Animal Services Expert Centre Okhaldhunga.

Himalayan Agriculture and Rainbow Trout Fish Firm of Solududhakunda Municipality-1, Himalayan Rainbow Trout and Local Fish Firm of Solududhakund Municipality-4 and Jyoti Multipurpose Agriculture and Livestock Firm of Thulung Dudhkoshi Rural Municipality-1 also received grants.

Bhimalal Tamang, chief of the Centre, informed that some of these firms have been given 75 per cent or 50 per cent subsidy. But, even though the government has invested millions for fish farming, only limited firms in the district have been able to produce high-value fish.

It has been found that some of them have registered a collective firm for the subsidy but have not operated the business after receiving the grant.