Press Information Bureau

Shri George Kurian, Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, will address two events under the ‘Fisheries Outreach and Awareness Programme’ on 25th October 2025 in Thrissur and Ernakulam districts of Kerala.

The Outreach Programme aims to create awareness among fishers and fish farmers about various welfare schemes of the Government of India designed to enhance livelihoods and promote sustainable fisheries practices.

During the events, Hon’ble Minister of State Shri George Kurian will distribute Kisan Credit Cards (KCCs), transponders, and NFDP registration certificates. He will also interact with fishers and fish farmers from the Thrissur and Ernakulam districts to understand their issues and challenges, and to discuss opportunities for strengthening Kerala’s fisheries and aquaculture sectors.

The morning session will be held at Kodiyampuzha Devasom Hall, Nattika, Thrissur District, at 10:00 AM, and the afternoon session will take place at Njarakkal Sree Narayana Auditorium, Vypeen, Ernakulam District, at 3:30 PM. More than 500 local fishers and fish farmers are expected to participate in the programmes.

These events will serve as a platform for direct engagement between the Hon’ble Minister and stakeholders in the fisheries sector, facilitating the distribution of key benefits under the Department of Fisheries, Government of India.

Background

The fisheries sector plays a pivotal role in supporting the livelihoods of nearly 3 crore individuals across India. The country has emerged as a global leader in fisheries — ranked 2nd in overall fish production and aquaculture, and 1st in shrimp production and exports.

Since the launch of targeted interventions in 2015, the Government of India has committed cumulative investments of ₹38,572 crore to accelerate sectoral growth. These efforts have resulted in a 103% increase in total fish production over the past decade.

In Kerala, the Government of India has undertaken several strategic investments to strengthen fisheries infrastructure. Under the Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF), four projects have been approved in the state, with a total project cost of ₹211.98 crore.

Furthermore, under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), a central share of ₹544.59 crore has been sanctioned for Kerala, covering a wide range of interventions. These include ₹58.94 crore for developing a state-of-the-art wholesale fish market to enhance post-harvest handling and market efficiency, and ₹36 lakh for setting up mini fish feed mills with a production capacity of 2 tonnes per day, supporting small-scale fish farmers.

SKY

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