Kolkata, December 5, 2023

In a written reply to the unstarred question raised by MPs Shri Ajay Kumar Mondal, Ms locket Chatterjee, Smt Navneet Ravi Rana and Shri Sunil Kumar Pintu in the Lok Sabha today regarding the welfare schemes and new initiatives started for the betterment of fishermen and fisheries industries, the Union Minister of Fisheries, animal Husbandry and dairying, Shri Purushottam Rupala stated that the Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying is implementing a flagship scheme namely Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) with an investment of Rs. 20,050 crore for a period of five years with effect from Financial Year 2020-21 to 2024-25 for holistic development of fisheries and aquaculture and welfare of fishermen is at the core of the scheme. The fishers welfare related activities supported under PMMSY inter-alia include; livelihood and nutritional support for socio-economically backward active traditional fishers’ families during fishing ban period,  insurance cover to fishers and fishing vessels, boats and nets to traditional fishermen,  communication/tracking devices,  sea-safety kits,  support to traditional fishers for acquisition of deep-sea fishing vessels, alternative livelihood activities like seaweed culture & bivalve culture, training & skill development, providing cold-chain and marketing facilities and also  fishing harbours and fish landing centres facilities for safe landing and berthing of fishing boats/vessels and smooth operation of post-harvest activities.

 

The Department of Fisheries, he said, during the last financial years (2020-21 to 2022-23) and current year(2023-24) accorded approval to the proposals of various States/UTs and other implementing agencies to the tune of Rs. 17118.62 crore including the proposals of Government of West Bengal, Maharashtra and Bihar for development of fisheries and aquaculture including the activities related to welfare of fishermen.

The details of proposals approved for the Government of West Bengal, Maharashtra and Bihar under the PMMSY are furnished below:

(Rs. in crore)

 

It is estimated that about 10.97 lakh fishers, fish farmers and other stakeholders are benefited under PMMSY including 4553 beneficiaries in West Bengal, 17117 in Maharashtra and 66,072 in Bihar.

 

It is to be noted that besides, to promote easy access to credit facility for aqua-culture farmers, fish farms and fishing activities, the Government of India during the FY 2018-19 extended the facility of Kisan Credit Card (KCC) to fisher and fish farmers to help them to meet their working capital needs. So far, a total of 1,69,476 KCCs have been issued including 1387 in West Bengal, 19,733 in Maharashtra and 9809 in Bihar.

 

The Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, with effect from financial year 2018-19 has implemented Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF) with a total fund size of Rs 7522.48 crore. FIDF inter-alia provides concessional finance for development of various fisheries infrastructure facilities to the Eligible Entities (EEs), including State Governments/Union Territories and State entities for development of identified fisheries infrastructure facilities. The Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying has so far accorded approvals to a total of 121 proposals of various States/UTs at a total outlay of Rs. 5588.63 crore for creation of fisheries infrastructure including the proposals amounting to Rs. 27.99 crore of Government of West Bengal, Rs. 943.69 crore of Government of Maharashtra and whereas the Government of Bihar has not submitted any project proposal so far under FIDF. The district-wise details of projects approved for the State of West Bengal and Maharashtra under FIDF are furnished at Annexure-I and Annexure-II.

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SSS/5.12.23/..

(Release ID: 1982915)