Announcement of IDA Assists Inland Fisheries Project in India on December 28, 1979

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -VVorld Bank 1818 H Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20433, U.S.A.• Telephone: (202) 477-1234 IDA NEWS RELEASE NO. 80/24 December 28, 1979 IDA ASSISTS INLAND FISHERIES PROJECT IN INDIA India's efforts to increase inland fish production will be assisted by a credit of $20 million from the International Development Association (IDA), an affiliate of the World Bank. The $39.7 mill ion project is designed to increase carp produc- tion in five states--West Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh--through the construction of hatcheries, improvements to fish ponds, strengthening of extension services, and the establishment • of training centers . At full development, the project is expected to help produce some 460 mill ion high-quality fingerl ings a year. This in turn will help increase carp production by about 200,000 tons annually. The income and living standards of about 100,000 fish farm families are expected to increase. The IDA credit to India is for 50 years, including 10 years of grace. It is interest free, except for a service charge of 3/4 of 1% to meet IDA's administrative costs. NOTE: Money figures are expressed in U.S. dollar equivalents . • FORM NO. 1121 (5-76) T ECHN I CAL D A T A PROJECT: COUNTRY: TOTAL COST: Inland Fisheries India $39. 7 mill ion • IDA FINANCING: $20 mill ion credit, standard IDA terms OTHER FINANCING: Governments of India, West Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, the Agricultural Refinance and Development Corporation and partici- pating banks and f armer. s IMPLEMENTING ORGANIZATION: Central Project Unit Fisheries Division Ministry of Agriculture Government of India, New Delhi, India Cable: AGRINDIA PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The project covers 58 districts in the five par- ticipating states, and includes about 117,000 ha • of a total of about 258,000 ha of fish ponds of 5 hectares or less in size. About 27 modern carp hatchieres will be constructed. Approach roads will be constructed to 1 ink the hatcheries with existing road and rail communications. Fish ponds will be improved. Fish culture extension services will be strengthened. New fisheries training centers will be established in the States of West Bengal, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh, and an existing center in Madhya Pradesh will be improved with additional civil works, equipment and vehicles. PROCUREMENT: Civil '-"JOrks for the construction of hatcheries, hatchery approach roads, and training centers wil 1 be procured under local competitive bidding. Most of the equipment for the project will be procured locally. ECONOMIC RATE OF RETURN: ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE: 42% 1985 - 0 - •