Guwahati, Aug 27 (IANS) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday highlighted the state government’s efforts to revive traditional water bodies through Project S.W.I.F.T., a Rs 796.88-crore initiative aimed at restoring beels, boosting fish production and creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for local communities.
In a post on X, Sarma said the story of Assam’s beels was “inseparable from the story of our people”, underlining the ecological and economic significance of the state’s wetlands.
The project, supported by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), will focus on rejuvenating 71 beels spread across 23 districts of Assam. The initiative targets around 4,000 hectares of water bodies for rejuvenation.
Project S.W.I.F.T. targets producing 6,000 metric tonnes of fish. In contrast, the project expects to produce around 570 million fish fry annually to strengthen fish production and improve the productivity of the rejuvenated water bodies.
The initiative also seeks to directly empower communities dependent on fisheries and other activities linked to the beels. As part of the project, the government will distribute 302 boats and fishing nets among beneficiaries. The government will also provide grants of Rs 50,000 each to 1,000 youths to encourage livelihood and entrepreneurial activities in the fisheries sector.
The project also includes establishing 30 fish feed units and 100 fish processing units for Self-Help Groups (SHGs), aimed at strengthening local value chains and creating additional income opportunities.
The state government has described the initiative as an effort to combine ecological restoration with economic development, ensuring that Assam’s wetlands remain productive natural assets while supporting communities that depend on them.
The revival of the beels is expected to improve fisheries productivity while promoting sustainable management of Assam’s aquatic resources.
Sarma said the initiative would help restore these important water bodies while creating sustainable livelihoods and preserving one of Assam’s key natural assets.
–IANS
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