Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying Rajiv Ranjan Singh and Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary will lay the foundation stone of an Integrated Aqua Park at Bhojpur and inaugurate the NFDB Regional Centre at Patna on June 15, 2026. The Integrated Aqua Park represents a total investment of ₹31.21 crore under the PMMSY scheme and will be located at Vanasaur Fish Seed Farm in Bhojpur.
Bihar possesses extensive inland water resources including 1.22 lakh hectares of tanks and ponds, 0.64 lakh hectares of reservoirs, 9.5 lakh hectares of floodplain lakes (chaurs) and derelict waters, and over 21,354 km of rivers and canals. The state cultures principal species including Catla, Rohu, Mrigal, Grass Carp, Common Carp, Silver Carp, Pabda, Tilapia, Pangasius, Magur (catfish), Scampi, and ornamental fish.
The Government of India has approved projects worth ₹902.84 crore for Bihar over the last 11 years, with ₹579.72 crore specifically under the PMMSY scheme. These investments have created significant infrastructure including brood banks, hatcheries, RAS and biofloc units, fish feed plants, cold-chain and transport facilities, and aquatic referral laboratories.
As a result of these investments, fish production in Bihar has more than doubled, propelling the state from 9th to 4th position among inland fish-producing states. Bihar now supplies approximately 89,600 metric tons of fish annually to neighboring states, emerging as a net exporter in the region.
The Integrated Aqua Park will include carp and catfish hatcheries, brooder incubation units, biofloc systems, RAS units, a fish feed mill, water quality and disease diagnostic laboratories, quarantine facilities, and a 50-bed training hostel. Key objectives include assured quality seed supply, demonstration of modern aquaculture technologies, and structured residential skill development in convergence with NFDB.
A Wetland Fisheries Cluster has been notified in Bihar covering 9.5 lakh hectares of floodplain lakes and derelict water bodies, promoting community-based fisheries management, coordinated stocking, and shared post-harvest infrastructure.
The NFDB Regional Centre at Patna will serve as the institutional hub for Bihar and the eastern region, ensuring closer convergence of schemes, technology, and field-level implementation support. It will promote modern aquaculture systems including RAS, biofloc, cage culture, and precision farming, while focusing on capacity building, skill development, and continuous technical handholding of fishers and entrepreneurs.
The Government of India is promoting integrated development through PMMSY, FIDF, and PM-MKSSY schemes, focusing on fish production, seed infrastructure, cold-chain development, value addition, technology adoption, and fisher welfare. These initiatives aim to strengthen Bihar's inland fisheries ecosystem through modern technologies, scientific resource management, employment generation, and value addition, supporting the transition towards a technology-driven, quality-focused, and export-oriented fisheries sector.