On January 06 2025, Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying (MoFAH&D) and Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) chaired the “Northeast Region States Meet 2025” held in Guwahati, Assam.
- The event was organised by the Department of Fisheries (DoF) under the MoFAH&D to review the implementation of Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY).
- During the event, the Union Minister distributed certificates to fisheries beneficiaries, including National Fisheries Digital Platform (NFDP) registration certificates, Kisan Credit Card (KCC) cards, awards for the best Fisheries-based Farmer Producer Organisations (FFPOs) and Fisheries Start-ups.
Key People: Union Minister of State (MoS) George Kurian, MoFAH&D and Ministry of Minority Affairs (MoMA); Union MoS S.P. Singh Bhagel, MoFAH&D and MoPR; Dr. Abhilaksh Likhi, Secretary, Department of Fisheries(DoF) under MoFAH&D; Ministers in-charge of Fisheries from other Northeastern Region (NER) states along with several eminent dignitaries were present at the event.
Note: The inland fish production in the NER has increased from 4.03 lakh tonnes in 2014-15 to 6.41 lakh tonnes in 2023-24, registering an annual growth rate of 5%. Andhra Pradesh(AP) is the largest fish producer in the country followed by West Bengal(WB) and Gujarat.
Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh Inaugurated and Laid Foundation of Projects worth Rs 50 Crore:
Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, MoFAH&D and MoPR inaugurated and laid the foundation for 50 key projects worth Rs 50 crores under PMMSY covering all NER states except Arunachal Pradesh (AR) and Mizoram, during the ‘Northeast Region States Meet 2025’.
- Out of total Rs 50 crores, the Government of India (GoI) will provide financial assistance of Rs 38.63 crore.
Details of the Projects:
i.Out of these 50 key projects which will be developed under PMSSY, 24 will be implemented in Sikkim, followed by Assam (12), Manipur(7), Tripura and Nagaland (3 each) and Meghalaya (1).
i.An Integrated Aqua Park will be established in the Darang district of Assam, with a capacity to produce 150 tonnes of fish annually generating up to 2,000 job opportunities.
ii.A large fish feed plant will be set up in the Kamrup district, Assam with a capacity to produce 20,000 tonnes of feed annually and hatchery projects will be established in various districts with the objective of producing 50 million spawns annually.
iii.Ice plants and cold storage units will be established in Thoubal and Imphal districts of Manipur, to preserve fish produce and reduce post-harvest losses.
iv.The projects in Meghalaya will emphasize on promoting recreational fisheries in the East Khasi Hills district.
v.Three projects will be developed in Nagaland which include: the construction of freshwater finfish hatcheries in the Mokochung and Kiphire districts. These hatcheries are estimated to produce collectively 21 million fry annually.
vi.Ornamental Fish Rearing units and finfish hatcheries will be set up in Tripura.
vii.Sikkim will implement 24 projects which include the setting up of Recirculatory Aquaculture Systems (RAS) to give boost to the sustainable farming, the construction of fish kiosks in Gangtok and other towns of the state, and the development of ornamental fish rearing units.
India’s first Organic Fisheries Cluster launched in Sikkim:
During the event, Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh also launched India’s first organic fisheries cluster, under the PMMSY initiative in Soreng district of Sikkim, which will boost farmer incomes and promote sustainability in aquaculture.
- The cluster will incorporate ecological fish farming methods, avoiding harmful chemicals and promoting minimal environmental pollution.
- The project also aimed to sell antibiotic, chemical and pesticide free organic fish in eco-conscious markets across the world.
Key points:
- National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) will be a key stakeholder in developing fisheries and aquaculture organic clusters in Sikkim.
- Apart from providing financial and technical assistance for the requisite fisheries infrastructure and capacity building, NABARD will also facilitate in the growth of the organic cluster by engaging fisher’s cooperatives and formation of FFPOs in the state.
Note: So far, DoF had notified 4 fisheries related clusters in India: Pearl Cluster in Hazaribagh district (Jharkhand), Ornamental Fisheries Cluster in Madurai district (Tamil Nadu, TN), Seaweed Cluster in Union Territory (UT) of Lakshadweep and Tuna Cluster in Andaman & Nicobar.
About Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY):
i.The PMMSY was launched in September 2020 with an aim to double the income of fish farmers and fishers in the country.
- The initiative delves into the domain of inland fisheries and aquaculture, recognizing their pivotal role in bolstering production and ensuring robust food security.
ii.It is being implemented for a period of five years (2020-21 to 2024-25) with an investment of Rs 20,050 crore.
iii.It is an umbrella scheme with two separate Components namely Central Sector Scheme (CS) and Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS).
About Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying (MoFAH&D):
Union Minister- Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh (Constituency- Munger, Bihar)
Minister of State (MoS) – S.P. Singh Baghel (Constituency- Agra, Uttar Pradesh, UP); George Kurian (Rajya Sabha- Madhya Pradesh, MP)
