Question

Which of the following group of water bodies are less utilsed in India for aquaculture?

• A. Reservoirs
• B. Major tanks
• C. Ponds
• D. Minor tanks

Hint:

India's Inland Giant: Reservoirs.
Total Area: ~3.15 million ha.
Current Status: Underutilized (Low yield/ha).
Future Strategy: Cage culture and Pen culture.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding the Question:
The question asks to identify the category of water resources in India that currently has a large gap between its total area and its actual utilization/productivity for aquaculture.
Detailed Explanation:

• Resource Overview: India has vast inland water resources, including approximately 2.4 million hectares of ponds and tanks, and 3.15 million hectares of reservoirs.

• Utilization Gap: While Ponds (C) and tanks are the backbone of Indian aquaculture and are intensely utilized (especially in states like Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal), Reservoirs (A) are considered a "sleeping giant."

• Reasons for Underutilization: Despite their massive area, the average fish production from Indian reservoirs is very low (around 15 kg/ha/yr for large and 50-100 kg/ha/yr for small reservoirs) compared to their potential. This is due to administrative hurdles, lack of quality fingerling stocking, and difficulties in harvesting. Therefore, they are the least utilized in terms of productivity per hectare.

• Government Focus: Modern schemes like PMMSY are currently focusing on reservoir cage culture to tap into this underutilized resource.

Step 3: Final Answer:
Reservoirs are the group of water bodies less utilized (in terms of productivity/potential) for aquaculture in India.