The Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying is actively implementing the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY). A press release on this endeavour was issued on December 6, 2023.
This flagship scheme, launched with a monumental investment of ₹20050 crore, spans all States and Union Territories, aiming to transform the fisheries landscape over a 5-year period from the financial year 2020-21 to FY 2024-25.
Over the last three financial years (FY 2020-21 to 2022-23) and the ongoing financial year (2023-24), fisheries developmental projects have received approvals totaling ₹17118.62 crore. The PMMSY is strategically designed to bridge critical gaps in fish production and productivity, quality, technology, post-harvest infrastructure, and management, while also focusing on the modernization and strengthening of the entire fisheries value chain, traceability, and quality improvement.
To achieve this, the PMMSY supports the creation of essential post-harvest infrastructure, including fishing harbors, fish landing centers, cold storages, ice plants, and fish transportation vehicles. Investments worth ₹4005.96 crore have been greenlit for these activities over the last three financial years and the current fiscal year.
Under PMMSY, a robust fisheries management framework is established, providing need-based support to States and Union Territories for the formulation and implementation of fisheries management plans. The scheme also promotes aquaculture, mariculture, post-harvest management, and various economic activities within the fisheries sector, with the overarching goal of enhancing income and improving the socio-economic conditions of fishers and stakeholders.
PMMSY extends financial assistance and nutritional support to 6.0 lakh eligible active marine and inland fishermen families annually during the fishing ban period. It supports insurance coverage for 33.20 lakh fishers and an interest subvention scheme for fishing vessels. The scheme has approved various initiatives, including 20823.40 hectares of pond area for inland aquaculture, 3942 Biofloc units, 11927 Re-circulatory Aquaculture Systems (RAS), 44,408 reservoir cages, 543.7 hectares pens in reservoirs, 1,11,110 units of seaweed rafts and monoline units, 1489 bivalve cultivation units, 562 cold storages, 6542 fish kiosks, 108 value-added enterprise units, and 25,193 post-harvest transportation units to boost aquaculture, mariculture, and post-harvest management activities.
