KOCHI: Though the state government gave administrative sanction to the second phase of Malsya Samrudhi project, with an ambitious target of an added 1.5 lakh metric tonnes of production through intensive inland fish cultivation, the project hangs in limbo as uncertainty looms over the Central fund allocation under Rashtreeya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY.)
“Since the Central Government increased the state’s overall share in central taxes, the full grant allocation under the RKVY, that makes a major component of the Malsya Samrudhi, may take a hit,” said a senior officer associated with the Malsya Samrudhi project. “Out of the Rs 38 crore needed for the project in a year, less than Rs 15 crore is shared by the state government and the Fish Farmers Development Agency under various Centrally-sponsored schemes. The rest is the RKVY component. We have not yet received any assurance on that,” he explained.
There is no clarity on the RKVY allocation yet and we cannot begin the phase two of the Malsya Samrudhi project unless it is cleared, the official told ‘Express.’
The state government had the other day given a go-ahead for the project spanning three years to usher in a ‘blue revolution’ that has an outlay of Rs 317.46 crore that includes Rs 110. 73 crores of subsidy. Nearly half of the subsidy ( Rs 54 crores) is RKVY fund.
The grant allocated to the state government under the RKVY used to be divided among various departments, including agriculture, animal husbandry and fisheries.
The fisheries officials are pinning their hopes on the state government delegation that would meet the Central ministers after the Aruvikkara byelection. The state government will take up the issue of RKVY grant in the upcoming meetings. The second phase of Malsya Samrudhi proposes to generate 30 to 35 lakh mandays of labour in the inland fisheries sector and benefit one lakh fish farmers in 14 districts.