Lok Sabha Question No. 989 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-02-08
Subject: Employment Opportunities in Fisheries Sector
Ministry: FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING
Asked by: Rahul Ramesh Shewale, Pritam Gopinath Munde, Chandra Sekhar Sahu, Girish Bhalchandra Bapat

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRYAND DAIRYING DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 989 TO BE ANSWERED ON 8 TH  FEBRUARY, 2022

## Employment Opportunities in Fisheries Sector

989: SHRI RAHUL RAMESH SHEWALE: DR. PRITAM GOPINATHRAO MUNDE: SHRI CHANDRA SEKHAR SAHU:

SHRI GIRISH BHALCHANDRA BAPAT:

Will  the  Minister  of FISHERIES,  ANIMAL  HUSBANDRY  AND  DAIRYING मत्स्यपालन , पशुपालन और डेयरी मंत्री be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  fisheries  sector  is  recognised  as  a  powerful  income  and  employment generator  in  the  country,  if  so,  the  details  of  employment  opportunities  and  income generated by the fisheries sector in the country particularly in the State of Odisha;
- (b) whether  the  fisheries  sector  has  emerged  as  an  instrument  of  livelihood  for  a  large section  of  the  economically  backward  population  of  the  country  and  if  so,  the  facts thereof and the response of the Government thereon;
- (c) whether there has been a need to develop infrastructure and post-harvest management solutions that will enable fishers, fish farmers in creating value addition, value creation and value realization ensuring minimal wastage across the fisheries value chain in the country, if so, the details and the response of the Union Government thereon;
- (d) the details of the major policy and scheme implemented by the Government to further expand the income and employment opportunities in the sector; and
- (e) the extent to which these policies and schemes are able to double the farmers income?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING

## (SHRI PARSHOTTAM RUPALA)

(a) to  (e)  :  Fisheries  and  aquaculture  sector  is  recognized  as  a  powerful  income  and employment generator and occupies an important place in the socio-economic development of the country. The sector provides livelihood to about 28 million fishers and fish farmers at the primary level and more than the twice the number along the value chain. The sector has immense  potential  to  double  the  fishers  and  fish  farmers'  incomes  as  envisioned  by Government and usher in economic prosperity.

The Department of Fisheries, Government of India during the financial years 2020-21 and 2021-22 has accorded approval to the fisheries development proposals of Government of Odisha at a total cost of Rs.441.55 crore and released an amount of Rs. 98.57 crore to the State Government with an objective to benefit 41,224 fishers, fish farmers, fish vendors and to create employment opportunities to more than 20,000 population in the State in fisheries and aquaculture sector.

The Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying has taken several initiatives to harness the full potential of the fisheries sector in a sustainable and responsible manner including (i) implementation of Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) Blue Revolution Integrated Development and Management of Fisheries for a period of 5 years from 2015-16 to 2019-20 with an outlay of Rs 3000 crore, (ii) implementation of a flagship scheme Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) with highest ever investment of Rs.20,050  crore    for  a  period  of  five  years  with  effect  from  the  financial  year  2020-21  to 2024-25 in all States/Union Territories(UTs), (iii)  creation and implementation of a dedicated fund  namely,  Fisheries  and  Aquaculture  Infrastructure  Development  Fund'  (FIDF)  with  a total  fund  size  of  Rs.7,522.48  crore  for  providing  concessional  finance  for  creation  of fisheries infrastructures, (iv) extending  the facility of Kisan Credit Card (KCC) to fisheries farmers to meet their working capital needs.  These schemes and programmes aim to increase the incomes of fishers, fish farmers through increased productivity, enhanced price realization, reduction in  wastage  and reduction in cost of operation by  creating brood bank and hatcheries for production of high  yielding seeds, improving  farm management through training and skill upgradation, upgrading and augmenting market and cold chain infrastructure and enhanced access to low cost working capital.

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