MADHYA PRADESH-Mismanagement of Fisheries Development

on Chambal river in 1960, with a reservoir of 22,500 sq km, high hopes were generated among the fisher folk of the area. The high potential offish production in the reservoir was expected to raise employment and income levels to new heights. After experimenting with different types of organisations for managing production and marketing of fish, this responsibility was handed over by the government to the Madhya Pradesh Fish Development Corporation (MPFDC) a public sector enterprise. Now, 14 years after the reservoir was created the fishermen of the area are a disappointed lot; all their hopes of higher levels of employment and income have been shattered to pieces and their share in the sales proceeds of fish has been extremely low.