BHUBANESWAR: Union minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying (MoFAH&D) Rajiv Ranjan Singh on Thursday said the central government has made a historic investment of Rs 38,572 crore through various schemes for significantly enhancing income and livelihood security of people involved in the sector.
Speaking at an event organised at CIFA here to mark National Fish Farmers Day 2025, he said the fisheries sector provides livelihood to over three crore fishers and fish farmers in the country.
They have catapulted India to the position of second-largest fish producer in the world, with inland fisheries contributing nearly 75 per cent of the total production.
Singh emphasised the importance of cluster development as a strategy for scaling up production and encouraged fish farmers to leverage financial assistance under the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme.
The minister launched new fisheries clusters under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) in 17 states, including Odisha. The new additions bring the total number of fisheries clusters across the country to 34. He also inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for 70 projects with an outlay of Rs 105 crore, spanning 11 states.
Union secretary of FAH&D Abhilaksh Likhi highlighted major initiatives including the aqua park in Sambalpur, scampi hatcheries and disaster preparedness in 18 cyclone-prone villages in the state. He lauded Odisha’s key role in the highest fish production and the government’s focus on deep-sea fishing and harbour modernisation.
F&ARD minister Gokulananda Mallik, secretary SK Vashist and CIFA director PK Sahoo were present.