By Our Correspondent
NEW DELHI/BHUBANESWAR: The Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Pratap Chandra Sarangi in Lok Sabha on Monday said that 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 including welfare of fishers/fish farmers and strengthening of their livelihood in the country.
Under CSS assistance is provided for construction of fishermen houses, relief assistance during fishing ban period, Group accident Insurance to active fishers, construction of new pond, renovation of existing pond including input cost, establishment of fish seed hatcheries, craft and gear, construction of landing centres, installation of cages/pens in reservoirs and other open water bodies, training, skill development and capacity building, motorisation of traditional craft, safety of fishermen at Sea, procurement of FRP boats and insulated fish ice holding boxes, rebate on high speed diesel, seaweed cultivation, Bivalve culture, pearl culture, development of post harvest infrastructure etc.
Besides, Government of India has also extended the facility of Kisan Credit Card (KCC) to fisheries and animal husbandry farmers to meet their working capital needs. The KCC facility will help fishers and fish farmers to meet their short term working capital requirements.
Government of India envisages bringing out a National Fisheries Policy for holistic development of the fisheries sector. The proposed policy would incorporate the provisions of the existing National Policy on Marine Fisheries, 2017 and will provide for policy provisions for the sub-sectors of inland fisheries, aquaculture, mariculture including elements of postharvest. Given the cross-cutting nature of various fisheries sub-sectors, it is considered that an integrated National Fisheries Policy would better serve the public interest rather than individual sub-sector wise policies. Allocation of funds is usually made under the schemes and programmes implemented by the Government in line with the Policy directives.
The Government has allocated Rs.560 crore for continuation of ‘Blue Revolution Scheme’ during financial year 2020-21 for undertaking various ongoing fisheries development programmes including marine fishery, aquaculture and mariculture. Besides, the Government has created the Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF) during 2018-19 with a fund size of Rs. 7,522.48 crores spreading over a period of five years. Further the Government, in its Union Budget 2019-20 has announced a new scheme the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) which envisages a total investment of about Rs 20,050 crores which includes central, state and beneficiary shares over a period of five years w.e.f. 2020-21.
Department of Space (DoS) has reported that Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has designed NavIC messaging system and developed a NavIC receiver and the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information System (INCOIS) is using this messaging system to broadcast emergency warning messages like cyclone, tsunami and high waves as and when it occurs and also for broadcasting of information of Potential Fishing Zone (PFZ).
DoS have reported that ISRO has transferred this technology to five industries in India to manufacture the receivers. The Fisheries Department of various coastal States have been made aware of this technology for the fishermen community. ISRO has distributed about 250 units each to the State Fisheries Department of Kerala and Tamil Nadu for the use of fishermen. ISRO also has proactively conducted trials for fishermen of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Department of Fisheries, Government of Tamil Nadu reported that 200 NAVIC units have been provided to 80 clusters having 10 to 15 deep sea fishing boats of Tamil Nadu. Distribution of NAVIC has to be implemented by the Department of Fisheries of the respective State Governments.
Funds for fisheries activities under the Blue Revolution scheme are provided based on the proposals received from the respective States and Union Territories as these are demand driven activities and hence, there is no such prior allocation exclusively for utilization for this purpose.
Awareness programme and meetings for dissemination of information to fishermen are organised by the Department of Fisheries and alerts of high waves, cyclones, tsunami etc are being communicated through all type of media on receipt of the information from Cyclone Warning Centre for the safety and security of fishermen and fishing vessels, Sarangi added.
As per National Account Statistics 2019, consumption expenditure on milk and milk products has increased from Rs. 415617 crore in 2013-14 to Rs.537531 crore in 2017-18.
The current production of milk is sufficient to meet the present demand. By and large milk produced in the country is consumed. Milk production in country increased from 137.7 million tonnes in 2013-14 to 187.7 million tonnes in 2018-19 and value output has increased from Rs.423150 crore to Rs.701530 crore during corresponding period. The per capita availability of milk increased from 307 gm/day in 2013-14 to 394 gm/day in 2018-19.
There is no information in the Department that the cases of adulteration of milk are increasing within the country due to increased demand of milk. However, in a nation-wide National Milk Safety and Quality survey conducted by FSSAI in 2018, only 0.18% samples found to contain adulterants.
