Aditya John Mayne
14th September 2020
On 10th September 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) through a video conference in the presence of the Governor and Chief Minister of Bihar along with Union Minister and Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying. The scheme aims to boost production and double exports in the fisheries sector in the next five years.
According to the Deccan Herald, the scheme aims to increase fish production by an additional 70 lakh tonne and increase export earnings to Rs 1,00,000 crore by 2024-25. With an estimated Rs 20,050 crore investment, the PMO has said it to be the highest ever in the fisheries sector.
With Rs 12,340 crore proposed for activities oriented towards beneficiaries such as inland fisheries, marine, and aquaculture, about Rs 7,710 crore will be used towards boosting fisheries infrastructure. Being the second-largest fish producer in the world, India produced a total of 137 lakh tonnes in 2018-19, with 65 per cent from the inland fisheries sector.
The Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, said to be a flagship program for the sustainable development of the fisheries sector, is supposed to cover 21 states and is already underway. Modi has also expressed that it will aid India in becoming self-reliant as part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat package.
At the video conference event, the Prime Minister also launched several other initiatives in the animal husbandry and fisheries sectors in Bihar, along with a mobile app named e-Gopala that will provide information and solutions to farmers on livestock-related issues. According to a government statement, the app will even enable cattle rearers to buy and sell cattle. In addition, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art semen station, with an investment of Rs 84.27 crore on 75 acres of land provided by the Bihar government. After the launch, the Prime Minister interacted with farmers focusing on the livestock and fisheries sector.
(Sources: PM Modi Yojana, Economic Times, Deccan Herald, Business Standard, Scroll.in)
Edited by Pratheek S