The department of fisheries, ministry of fisheries, animal husbandry and dairying has supported fisheries infrastructure projects with a total outlay of Rs.17,210.46 crore including central share of Rs.6761.80 crore to enhance fisheries infrastructure to various States and Union Territories.
Based on the proposals received from various state governments, union territories and other end implementing agencies, the department of fisheries has so far approved fisheries development proposals worth Rs.21,274.16 crore with central share of rs. 9,189.79 crore under the pradhan mantri matsya sampada yojana (PMMSY).
This was stated by the union minister of state, ministry of fisheries, animal husbandry and dairying, George Kurian, in a written reply in Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
Kurian said in his reply that the integrated aquaparks act as hubs of multifarious fisheries to strengthen the aquaculture value chain by providing end to end infrastructure from seed, feed and farming support to processing, cold chain and market access. They enable cluster-based efficiency, reduce post-harvest losses and enhance farmers income through value addition and organised marketing. The department of fisheries, ministry of fisheries, animal husbandry and dairying under the pradhan mantri matsya sampada yojana (PMMSY) has accorded approvals to the proposals of various State Governments for development of a total 11 integrated aqua parks at a total cost of Rs 682.60 crore.
He said that under the pradhan mantri matsya sampada yojana (PMMSY), during the last five years (2020-21 to 2024-25), the department of fisheries, ministry of fisheries, animal husbandry and dairying has supported fisheries infrastructure projects with a total outlay of Rs.17,210.46 crore including central share of Rs.6761.80 crore to enhance fisheries infrastructure to various states and union territories.
The PMMSY has been playing a vital role in generating significant direct and indirect employment opportunities in the fisheries and allied activities such as fishing, aquaculture, processing, transportation and marketing, ponds preparation etc. The estimated employment generation (both direct and indirect) in Karnataka, Tripura and Jammu & Kashmir since inception of PMMSY are 260392, 142292 and 26364 respectively.
The minister said that the department of fisheries, ministry of fisheries, animal husbandry and dairying has notified 34 fisheries clusters in the country including organic fisheries cluster in Sikkim and Meghalaya.
2000 Fisheries Cooperative as FFPOs
The minister informed that the pradhan mantri matsya sampada yojana (PMMSY) provides financial assistance for setting up of fish farmers producer organizations (FFPOs) to economically empower the fishers and fish farmers and enhance their bargaining power. The department of fisheries has accorded approval for formation of existing 2000 fisheries cooperative as FFPOs and formation of new 195 FFPOs. The department of fisheries through national fisheries development board (NFDB) has formulated action plan to form 12,000 fisheries co-operatives in uncovered panchayats/villages with large water bodies/coastal areas over a period of ten years from the year 2023-24 to 2032-33 in two phases – 6,000 from 2023-24 to 2027-28 and another 6,000 from 2028-29 to 2032-33. In addition, the pradhan mantri matsya kisan samridhi saha-yojana (PM-MKSSY) a sub-scheme of PMMSY envisages to support formalisation and strengthening of 5500 primary fisheries cooperatives with mentoring, capacity building and need based financial support.
The department of fisheries, ministry of fisheries, animal husbandry and dairying, is supporting fisheries startups and entrepreneurs under the pradhan mantri matsya sampada yojana (PMMSY) – with the aim to encourage the startups to develop transformative solutions in the fisheries sector and to drive innovation, sustainability and efficiency by supporting Startups with seed funding and incubation through Startup India (department for promotion of industry and internal trade). To promote innovation, boost private investment, enhance productivity, strengthen market linkages in the fisheries sector, the department of fisheries, ministry of fisheries, animal husbandry and dairying has approved 39 project proposals with subsidy assistance of Rs. 31.22 crores, under the entrepreneur model of the PMMSY scheme.
