Lok Sabha Question No. 4945 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-04-01
Subject: Small and Marginal Fish Farmers
Ministry: FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING
Asked by: Shri Dulu Mahato, Shri Trivendra Singh Rawat

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †4945 TO BE ANSWERED ON 1 ST  APRIL, 2025

## Small and Marginal Fish Farmers

## †4945 . Shri Dulu Mahato:

## Shri Trivendra Singh Rawat :

Will  the  Minister  of  FISHERIES,  ANIMAL  HUSBANDRY  AND  DAIRYING  be pleased to state:

- (a) the measures taken to ensure that financial assistance provided under Government schemes reaches the small and marginal fish farmers effectively particularly in Jharkhand;
- (b) the impact of subsidies provided under schemes like Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana and Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund on income and production level of fish farmers during the last five years;
- (c)  whether  any  new  policies  are  being  formulated  to  boost  global  competitiveness  of India's fisheries sector; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING (SHRI GEORGE KURIAN)

(a)  to  (b): The  Department of  Fisheries,  Ministry  of  Fisheries,  Animal  Husbandry  and Dairying. Government of India is implementing a flagship scheme Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada  Yojana  (PMMSY)  -  A  scheme  to  bring  about  Blue  Revolution  through sustainable  and  responsible  development  of  fisheries  sector  in  India  with  a  total investment of Rs.20050 crore for a period of 5 years with effect from the financial year 2020-21 for development of fisheries in all States/Union Territories including Jharkhand. Under PMMSY, the Department of Fisheries, Government of India has accorded approval for various fisheries developmental activities to the tune of Rs. 415.22 crore with central liability of Rs. 139.50 crore and an amount of Rs.115.70 crore has been released to the Government  of  Jharkhand  for  development  of  Fisheries  in  the  State  through  PFMS. Further, the funds are transferred to beneficiaries through DBT to ensure that the fund reaches directly in fishers account including the small and marginal fish farmers.

A result of concerted efforts of the Governments through the reforms, policies, schemes mainly PMMSY and FIDF, and efforts of fishers, fish farmers and other stakeholders during last  five  years  have  contributed  significantly  in  overall  growth  of  the  fisheries  and aquaculture especially, (i) increase of annual fish production from 141.64 lakh tonne in 2019-20  to  184.02  lakh  tonne  in  2023-24,  (ii) increase  in fisheries  export  from Rs.46,662.85 crore in 2019-20 to Rs.60,524.89 crore in 2023-24, (iii) enhanced per capita fish consumption from 5-6 kg to 12-13 kg and (iv) enhance aquaculture productivity from 3 tonne/hectare to 4.7 tonne per hectare.

(c)  &  (d): The  Department  of  Fisheries,  Ministry  of  Fisheries,  Animal  Husbandry  and Dairying,  Government  of  India  since  2015,  have  launched  various  scheme  and  policy initiatives and substantially stepped-up investments in fisheries sector through schemes worth Rs. 38,572 crore including the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMSSY) and  Fisheries  and  Aquaculture  Infrastructure  Development  Fund  (FIDF)for  holistic development of fisheries sector in the country. To enhance India's global competitiveness in  fisheries  sector,  the  PMMSY  supports  a  basket  of  interventions/activities  along  the fisheries  value  chain  including  quality  fish  production,  expansion,  diversification  and intensification  of  brackish  water  aquaculture,  promotion  of  export-oriented  species, infusion of technology, robust disease management and traceability, training and capacity building,  creation  of  modern  post-harvest  infrastructure  with  seamless  cold  chain, development  of  modern  fishing  harbours  and  fish  landing  centres,  etc.  Further,  to strengthen Indian fisheries sector globally, the government is facilitating ease of doing business by amending regulations, streamlining imports and reducing import duties on key aquafeed ingredients, aquaculture inputs, and fish processing ingredients. The country has now attained 1 st  in Inland Capture Fish production, 1 st   in Culture Shrimp Export, 2 nd in  Aquaculture  Production,  2 nd     in  Overall  Fish  Production,  4 th   in  Overall  Capture  Fish Production, 6 th   in Marine Capture Fish Production and 6 th  in Exports of fisheries products.

*****