ହୀରାକୁଦରେ ପଞ୍ଜୁରୀ ମାଛଚାଷ ଦେଲା ପରିଚୟ | Hirakud Cage Culture, Success Story of Sujata Bhuyan

Sujata Bhuyan – Hirakud Cage Culture Success Story Smt. Sujata Bhuyan is a homemaker-turned-aquapreneur from LIC Colony, Mudipada, Sambalpur. In 2022 she started fish farming in Hirakud Reservoir using cage culture under the *Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana*. Her Journey**Stage **Details *Start* 2022 – Visited Hirakud Reservoir, got inspired by fish farming *Training* Took scientific training from ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute + Odisha Fisheries Dept on stocking, water quality, disease control, cage ops *Setup* Took bank loan, started cage culture – fish farming in floating cages *Challenges* No capital, no prior experience, balancing home + travel to reservoir, weather issues, feed arrangement *Production* Now produces *25–30 metric tonnes* of Tilapia fish annually *Income* Earns **₹6–10 lakh per year**. First year itself: ~₹6 lakh *Market* Supplies to Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal. National Recognition PM Narendra Modi praised her in Mann Ki Baat 132nd episode as a “shining example of self-reliance in rural India” and symbol of women-led development. Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi also called it “a matter of pride for Odisha”. *What is Hirakud Cage Culture?**Policy*: Odisha Govt promotes cage culture to boost freshwater fish production. How it works: Floating cages made of nets are installed in reservoir. Circular cages 16m dia × 5m depth, or rectangular 6×4×4m. Each circular cage can produce 25-30 MT fish.*Allocation*: 1,800 cubic metre water area + 3,000 sqm land for storage given to individual. Lease: ₹1.5 lakh for 5 years.*Potential*: Hirakud can hold 1,875 circular cages or 15,000 rectangular cages, with production potential 45,000 MT fish.*Support*: Training every 6 months by Fisheries dept. Govt building floating jetty + common facility center. Impact : Beyond income, Sujata mentors other local women and provides employment. Her story shows how “science-led interventions can unlock livelihood opportunities for rural women”. Her message*: “If I can do it, others can too. Women should come forward and take advantage of such opportunities”. #mannkibaat #mannkibaat100 #pmmodi #pmmodinews #cageculture #hirakud #sujatabhuyan #sambalpur #aquapreneur #aquaculture #aquacultureinnovation #aquacultureindia #odisha #narendramodi #Hirakudcageculture #Successstory #Pmmsy #Challenges #Ecotourism