The Uttar Pradesh government on Sunday (September 27, 2026) said it was aiming to make fisheries a reliable source of income for farmers and fishing communities by improving the utilisation of Gram Sabha ponds, reservoirs and rivers.

The State government said more than 80,000 hectares of Gram Sabha ponds had been leased for fisheries activities, 2,205 km of rivers had been brought under organised leasing frameworks, and 342 reservoirs were now actively supporting fish production.

“Our structured approach has brought transparency, efficiency, and stronger community participation in fisheries management,” Mukesh Kumar Meshram, Additional Chief Secretary, Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fisheries Department, told The Hindu. He said the expansion in scale and coverage had significantly increased fish output while creating employment opportunities for thousands of rural households. Fish production had risen from 6.29 lakh tonnes to 15.90 lakh tonnes in the past eight years, he said.

Mr. Meshram, a 1995-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, said the focus on scientific fish culture and improved resource management was also helping farmers achieve sustainable growth without depleting ecological resources. Access to government schemes, modern practices and collective investment models had led to higher productivity and better income stability, he said.

“Our initiative strongly aligns with long-term goals of utilising underused water resources efficiently, enhancing farmers’ incomes through targeted schemes, promoting sustainable fisheries management practices and balancing economic growth with ecological sustainability,” the Additional Chief Secretary added.

Uttar Pradesh Animal Husbandry department on Sunday (August 9, 2026) said it is strengthening the capacity for early identification and reporting of emerging zoonotic diseases, surveillance systems, laboratory strengthening, outbreak preparedness, pushing the One Health approach framework.

“Recently, the Animal Husbandry Department developed a Compendium for Veterinarians on Zoonotic & Priority Animal Diseases,. The compendium has been designed to strengthen the knowledge of field veterinarians on priority zoonotic diseases, standardized case definitions, surveillance and timely disease reporting. We are strengthening the capacity for early identification and reporting of priority zoonotic and other important animal diseases. The state will also enhance its diagnostic capacity through ELISA-based testing for priority zoonotic diseases. Interventions to strengthen farm-level biosecurity in Pilibhit and Gorakhpur districts, promoting improved disease prevention and infection control practices, is also taking place. The State is committed to strengthen One Health systems through coordinated interdepartmental action,” told Mukesh Kumar Meshram, Additional Chief Secretary, Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fisheries Department, to The Hindu.

Mr. Meshram, a 1995-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer said that under the RISE Global Health Security (RISE GHS) Project, the Animal Husbandry Department, in collaboration with the Forest and Wildlife Department, successfully conducted active surveillance for Avian Influenza among wild migratory birds at 19 Ramsar and other important wetland sites across Uttar Pradesh.

“During the previous migratory season, over 1,100 samples were collected and tested at IVRI, Bareilly. Building on this success, similar surveillance will be undertaken during the upcoming migratory bird season across all Ramsar sites and other important wetlands in the state. A State-Level Training of Trainers (ToT) programme for government veterinarians will be conducted to strengthening One Health systems through coordinated interdepartmental action. We are focused on emerging zoonotic threats, spillover risks and multisectoral strategies for disease prevention, while the second deliberated on strengthening One Health surveillance through early detection, integrated data sharing and coordinated outbreak response,” he added.