Lok Sabha Question No. 316 (STARRED), answered on 2024-12-17
Subject: Benefits to Sagarmitras under PMMSY
Ministry: FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING
Asked by: Shri Shafi Parambil

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES

## LOKSABHA STARRED QUESTION No.*316 TO BE ANSWERED ON 17 TH DECEMBER, 2024

## Benefits to Sagarmitras under PMMSY

## *316.   Shri Shafi Parambil:

Will the Minister of FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING मत्स्यपालन , पशुपालन और डेयरीमंत्री be pleased to state: (a) the details and number of Sagarmitras recruited under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) across the country, State-wise; (b)  the  details  of  employment,  basic  qualification,  recruitment  process,  salary  and other benefits provided to the Sagarmitras under PMMSY; (c)  whether  the  Sagarmitras  are  remunerated  with  low  salaries,  if  so,  the  details thereof; and (d)  whether  the  Government  has  any  plan  to  increase  their  salary  and  Travelling

- Allowance (TA), if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING ( SHRI RAJIV RANJAN SINGH ALIAS LALAN SINGH )

- (a) to (d): A Statement is placed on the Table of the House.
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Statement referred to in reply to the Lok Sabha Starred Question No.316 due for answer on 17 th  December, 2024 put in by Shri Shafi Parambil, Hon'ble Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha regarding Benefits to Sagarmitras under PMMSY

(a) to (d) : The  Department  of  Fisheries  under  the  Ministry  of  Fisheries,  Animal Husbandry and Dairying is implementing the flagship scheme Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) for a period of 5 years from financial year 2020-21 to FY 2024-25 in all the States and Union Territories at a total outlay of Rs.20050 crore. The Department of Fisheries, Government of India during the last four financial years (FY  2020-21  to  2023-24)  and  current  financial  year  (FY2024-25),  has  approved fisheries developmental proposals of various State Governments, Union Territories and other Implementing Agencies at a total cost of Rs.20864.29 crore with central share  of  Rs.  8871.45  crore  under  the  PMMSY.  The  concerted  efforts  of  the Governments, fishers, fish farmers and other fisheries stakeholders during the period of implementation of PMMSY has resulted in (i) increase of annual fish production in the country  from 141.64 lakh tonne during 2019-20 to an all-time record of 175.45 lakh tonne in 2022-23, (ii) creation of direct and indirect employment opportunities to about 58 lakh persons in fishing and aquaculture related activities on account of the fisheries development projects, (iii) increase in fisheries export from Rs.46,663 crore in 2019-20 to Rs.60,525 crore in 2023-24, (iv) enhanced per capita fish consumption from 5-6 kg to 12-13 kg, (v)  enhanced  aquaculture productivity to 4.7 tonne per hectare,  (vi) reduction of post harvest losses to 10-15%  and increase in contribution of  fisheries  in  National  GVA  from  0.98%  (in  2019-20)  to  1.12%  (in  2022-23)  (at constant prices), in Agriculture GVA from 6.52% in 2019-20 to 7.26% in 2022-23 (at constant prices).

The Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) inter-alia envisaged engagement of a total of 3477 Sagar Mitras through outsourcing on contractual basis during the scheme period and deploy them at the rate of one Sagar Mitra per coastal fishing village in the maritime States/UTs. Their roles and responsibilities include:

- (i) to interface between the Government and fishers and act as first person of contact for any marine fisheries related demands/services of fishers
- (ii) to  create  awareness  among  the  local  fishers  on  various  schemes  and programmes of Central and State Government
- (iii) enforcement  of  fishing  ban  and  monitoring  of  fishing  crafts  and  colour coding.
- (iv) to  assist  the  State/UT  Fisheries  Department  in  identification  of  eligible beneficiaries for various schemes of centre and state
- (v) dissemination of information  on  weather  forecast, Potential Fishing Zone(PFZ) and natural calamities
- (vi) create awareness among the fishers about the hygienic handling of fish, personal hygiene, healthy living and working conditions
- (vii) sensitizing the fishers on sustainable utilisation of fisheries resources and relevant regulation including Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries(CCRF), importance of ocean and coastal ecosystem conservation, prevention of IUU fishing  etc.
- (viii) to  promote    women  empowerment  through  alternative  livelihood,  post harvest and marketing activities
- (ix) to  compile  information/data  on  daily  fish  production,  fish  price  and marketing  information,  fishing  vessels  including  their  entry  and  exist  at fishing  harbours  and  fish  landing  centres  and  provide  such  data  to  the government
- (x) to mobilize fishers for training or impart training
- (xi) to report any unusual activities activity/incident in their jurisdiction
- (xii) mobilisation  of  fishermen  for  conduct  of  KCC  camps,  insurance  and livelihood program
- (xiii) to  assist  the  district  administration  during  the  cyclone/storm  and  other natural  calamity  and  extension  of  relief  and  rehabilitation  measures  to fishermen
- (xiv) perform  any  other  tasks  as  may  be  entrusted  by  Central  and  State/UT Governments.

Based  on the proposals of States/UTs, the Department of Fisheries, Government of India has approved 2494 Sagar Mitras,  and out of these a total of 2015 Sagar Mitras have been engaged. The State-wise details of the Sagar Mitras approved and Sagar Mitras engaged by States/UTs are furnished at Annexure-I.

Under the PMMSY initially it was envisaged that the Sagar Mitra shall be a fisheries professional possessing minimum Bachelor Degree in Fisheries Science/Marine Biology/Zoology. Subsequently, based on the requests received from the Coastal State Governments and Union Territories(UTs), the qualification of Sagar Mitra  is  now  fixed  at  12 th pass  in  Science  stream  with  the  preference  to  those candidates (i) having higher qualification, (ii) persons from local fisher communities and also (iii) women candidates. Further, PMMSY stipulates that engagement of Sagar Mitras is done by the respective State Governments and UTs based on adoption of an appropriate merit-based selection method only through the local fishers Cooperative Society of the village or direct engagement through interview or through outsourcing agency as per the local conditions. PMMSY provides to fix the incentive at Rs 15000/per Sagar Mitra  per month and an amount of Rs. 300/- per month per Sagar Mitra  as mobile phone user allowance. In addition, candidates engaged as Sagar Mitras are provided intensive training on quarterly basis for 2 weeks duration. Presently there is no proposal under consideration of the Government to increase the incentive of Sagar Mitras.

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Annexure-I

Statement  referred  to  in  reply  to  the  Lok  Sabha  Starred  Question  No.316 regarding  Benefits  to  Sagarmitras  under  PMMSY  put  in  by  Shri  Shafi Parambil due for answer on 17 th  December, 2024

| Sl. No.   | Name of the State/UT              |   Number of Sagar Mitras Approved |   Number of Sagar Mitras engaged as reported by States/UTs |
|-----------|-----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------|
| 1.        | Andaman & Nicobar                 |                                70 |                                                         54 |
| 2.        | Andhra Pradesh                    |                               350 |                                                        325 |
| 3.        | Daman & Diu, Dadra & Nagar Haveli |                                06 |                                                         00 |
| 4.        | Goa                               |                                38 |                                                         38 |
| 5.        | Gujarat                           |                               260 |                                                        114 |
| 6.        | Karnataka                         |                               120 |                                                         35 |
| 7.        | Kerala                            |                               222 |                                                        222 |
| 8.        | Lakshadweep                       |                                10 |                                                         00 |
| 9.        | Maharashtra                       |                               173 |                                                        162 |
| 10.       | Odisha                            |                               600 |                                                        486 |
| 11.       | Puducherry                        |                                37 |                                                         00 |
| 12.       | Tamil Nadu                        |                               608 |                                                        579 |
| 13.       | West Bengal                       |                                 0 |                                                          0 |
|           | Total                             |                              2494 |                                                       2015 |

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