Union minister of state, Loganathan Murugan today visited the State to interact with fish farmers and to take stock on the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY).
During his visit, Murugan visited a fish farm at Umeit village in Ri Bhoi district and held a discussion with fish farming trainees at the Meghalaya State Fisheries Research and Training Institute at Mawpun Kshaid and visited a site in Umiam lake where fish seeds were released.
Speaking about the PMMSY Murugan said that the central government’s focus lies on infrastructural development in the fisheries sector of the country. He informed about the Prime Minister’s Fisheries Infrastructure Fund to aid entrepreneurs and highlighted the various facilities available for benefitting individual entrepreneurs in fish farming such as ice storage, cold storage, processing units, etc. He urged the fish farmers to capitalise on the opportunities provided by the government.
The minister said that the PMMSY flagship scheme was launched with the highest ever investment of Rs. 20,000 crore for a period of five years from 2020-21 to 2024-25 in all the States and Union Territories.
“We are concentrating on inland fisheries like RAS, river ranching. Recently, in Brahmaputra we carried out river ranching,” he added.
While stressing on the rising demand for exports of fish from India, he said that the PMMSY aims at enhancing fish production by an additional 70 lakh tonne by 2024-25, increasing fisheries export earnings to Rs.1, 00,000 crore by 2024-25. Despite the setback due to COVID-19 the country has been able to achieve around Rs 59, 000 crore export of fish produce during this year, he said.
PMMSY is designed to address the critical gaps in fish production and productivity, quality, technology, post-harvest infrastructure and management, modernization and strengthening of value chain, traceability, establishing a robust fisheries management framework and fishers’ welfare.
While aiming to consolidate the achievements of Blue Revolution Scheme, PMMSY envisages many new interventions such as fishing vessel insurance, support for new/up-gradation of fishing vessels/boats, Bio-toilets, Aquaculture in saline/alkaline areas, Sagar Mitras, FFPOs/Cs, Nucleus Breeding Centres, Fisheries and Aquaculture start-ups, Incubators, Integrated Aqua parks, Integrated coastal fishing villages development, Aquatic Laboratories Network and Extension Services, Traceability, Certification and Accreditation, RAS, Biofloc & Cage Culture, E-Trading/Marketing, Fisheries Management Plans, etc.
During an interaction with the media, Murugan expressed his delight in visiting Meghalaya and briefed about the various schemes that are being implemented under his Ministries. The minister reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mantra, which is “seva with transformation” and said that welfare of the poor is the motto of the government that has completed eight years.
He also informed about the upcoming mobile veterinary units that will be sponsored centrally and funds will be provided to States under the animal husbandry department. “We are encouraging startups, entrepreneurs,” and extended his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for bringing in major schemes for development across the country.
During his stay, the minister will visit various project sites to review the fishery infrastructure, and implementation of PMMSY as well as schemes of Animal Husbandry in the State. He will also interact with the beneficiaries in the capital.
Murugan has also scheduled a visit to the All India Radio, Cherrapunjee.
