Bhubaneswar, October 13: The State Cabinet headed by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday approved restructuring of the Odisha Subordinate Fisheries Service Cadre to strengthen field-level manpower at Block levels and ensure effective implementation of the State's expanding fisheries and aquaculture development programmes.

Presently, the State is endowed with 7.18 lakh, Ha freshwater resources, 4.18 lakh Ha brackish water and 575 km long coastline with a production of 12.7 lakh MT fish production. The restructuring shall facilitate in achieving the vision 2036-47 target to increase the fish production from present level to 51 lakh MT by 2047.

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As many as 3240 GP of 162 potential blocks will be provided, a targeted field-level framework for production and productivity enhancement through block-specific interventions. Adequate manpower allocation in the subordinate cadre will be critical for operationalizing the 162-potential block strategy. The strengthened field presence will enable closer technical guidance to fishers and fish farmers, faster delivery of schemes and improved monitoring of fisheries and aquaculture activities at the grassroots level

The sanctioned strength has been enhanced from 445 to 774 posts, creating 329 additional posts.

The post of Senior Fisheries Technical Assistants has been increased from 127 to 224, with upgradation of the pay level from Level 4 to Level 9.

The post of Junior Fisheries Technical Assistants has been enhanced from 318 to 550, with upgradation of the pay level from Level 3 to Level 5.

The restructure will facilitate in strengthening the Odisha's contribution to the Blue Economy through achieving the Vision 2036-47 target to increase fish production from the present 12.7 lakh MT to 51 lakh MT by 2047 and enhance fisheries and seafood exports from about 15,400 crore to X35,000 crore during the same period, implementation of visionary missions of the state Odisha Deep Sea fishing mission which have been launched and shrimp mission scheduled to be launched and notified guidelines for brackish water aquaculture beyond 2 km and up to 10 km from the High Tide Line (NIL)