By Our Correspondent
NEW DELHI/BHUBANESWAR: Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Pratap Chandra Sarangi, in Rajya Sabha on Friday in a written reply said the Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying is implementing a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) on Blue Revolution: Integrated Development and Management of Fisheries, for overall development of the fisheries sector in the country including support for development of fish farms in both fresh and salt water in the country.
The CSS inter-alia provides financial assistance for development of fisheries and aquaculture sector including construction of ponds, fish seed rearing ponds, productive utilization of inland saline/alkaline areas for aquaculture, renovation of ponds and development of waterlogged areas. During past five years between 2015 and 2019, a total area of 42632.40 Hectare has been brought under aquaculture in both fresh and saline water areas.
During the year 2018-19, India exported fish and fisheries products of 13,92,559 Metric Tonne valued at Rs. 46,589.37 Crore. Under the CSS, financial assistance is provided to States/ Union Territories for establishment of fisheries infrastructure including development of post-harvest infrastructure like ice plants, cold storages, ice plants-cum-cold storages and development of fish landing centre and fishing harbours.
Besides, Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Fund (FIDF) is implemented with a fund size of Rs. 7522.48 crore for providing access to concessional finance for development of fisheries infrastructure in the country. Under the FIDF, the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying provides interest subvention up to 3% per annum for providing the concessional finance by the Nodal Loaning Entities for development of infrastrucutre in the fisheries sector.
The Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) also provides financial assistance to develop fisheries infrastructure facilities to maintain the quality standards of aquaculture products for export to overseas markets. In addition, MPEDA conducts capacity building programmes for fishers and fish farmers through trainings, awareness and demonstration programmes throughout the country.
