Fish is also an affordable and rich source of animal protein, and is an important choice for alleviating hunger and nutritional deficiencies.
Background:
♦ The fishery sector is considered a strong income and job creator because it stimulates the growth of many affiliated industries and is a source of cheap and nutritious food.
♦ This is also the livelihood for a large section of economically backward population of the country, providing income and employment for more than 28 million people.
♦ Fishery occupies an important position in the country’s socio-economic development.
♦ This is also a fast-growing industry in India.
♦ India is the world’s second largest fish producer, accounting for 7.56% of global production, contributing about 1.24% to India’s Gross Value Added (GVA), and contributing more than 7.28% to agricultural GVA.
♦ Fish is also an affordable and rich source of animal protein, and is an important choice for alleviating hunger and nutritional deficiencies.
♦ Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY): This is a umbrella scheme for the fisheries sector, aiming to achieve the Blue Revolution through the sustainable development of the sector.
♦ Kisan Credit Cards to Animal Husbandry Farmers and Fisheries: Almost 45,000 Kisan Credit Cards have been issued to fishermen and fish farmers.
Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund:
In its Budget 2018, the Union Government had set aside Rs. 7,550 crore for the setting up of a dedicated Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF). FIDF will provide preferential funds to State Governments/Union Territories, State entities, cooperatives, individual entrepreneurs, etc., to develop fishery infrastructure facilities in the marine and inland fisheries sectors. FIDF will fund infrastructure facilities such as fishing ports/fish landing centers, fish seed farms, fish feed factories/plants, cage culture in reservoirs, marine culture activities, introduction of deep-sea fishing vessels, establishment of disease diagnosis and aquatic quarantine facilities, and establishment of cold Chain infrastructure facilities, such as ice factories, cold storage, fish transportation facilities, fish processing units, fish markets, etc. The fund will be created in cooperation with National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) and certain commercial banks. The National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) will be the Nodal Implementing Agency to fully coordinate FIDF activities.
