Assam Struggles To Fulfill Domestic Fish Demand Due To Understaffed Department

GUWAHATI: Despite tremendous potentials for the production of fish in Assam, the state has not been able to meet the domestic demand of fish, let alone export of this commodity. And one of the immediate reasons behind this is understaffing in the Fishery department.

According to official sources, as of August 2024, the department has to work with a shortage of 130 of the 346 gazetted posts, 250 of the 787 non-gezetted posts, 15 of the 31 posts of drivers, and 14 of the 18 posts of power pump operators.

The lone post of financial adviser in the department has been lying vacant for many years. Three of the four posts of joint directors of fisheries and allied cadres have been lying vacant in the department.

Strangely enough, all eight posts of deputy directors in the department have been vacant. The lone posts of research officer, statistical officer, and assistant engineer (mechanical) have also been lying vacant.

The other vacant posts in the department include ten district fishery development officers, 69 fishery development officers, 31 junior engineers, seven posts of junior assistant directors, 15 posts of AFO and allied cadres, 71 posts of grade four, 93 posts of FD and allied cadres, 39 posts of district-level junior assistants, and 16 posts of district-level senior assistants, etc.

According to official sources, some of these vacant posts are filled through promotions. However, promotions in the department have stopped long ago, leading to the piling up of vacant posts as retirement is a continuous process.

This apart, the filling up of some of the vacant posts takes place through the APSC and some through the state-level recruitment commission (SLRC). The department has already informed the SLRC of its vacancy positions.

Assam imports fish from Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, and UP. In 2021-22, the state imported around 22731 MT fish, 26430 MT in 2022-23, and 18240 MT in 2023-24.

The production of fish in the state was 4.17 lakh MT in 2021-22. It increased to 4.43 lakh MT in 2022–23 and 4.80 lakh MT in 2023–24.

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