SRINAGAR: The fisheries sector contributed about 7.43 per cent to India’s Agricultural Gross Value Added (GVA) during 2023-24 and 1.09 per cent to the country’s overall GVA, the Union Government informed the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
The figures were provided by Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh in response to an unstarred question by Dharmasthala Veerendra Heggade on the holistic development of fisheries.
In its written reply, the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying said fisheries was among the fastest-growing agri-allied sectors in the country and had a significant role in economic growth, food and nutritional security, employment generation, livelihood support and export earnings.
The Government clarified that fisheries falls within the purview of the States under Entry 21 of List-II of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution. However, fishing and fisheries beyond territorial waters fall under the Union Government under Entry 57 of List-I.
The Centre said it had undertaken several measures for the holistic development of fisheries and aquaculture, including the welfare of fishers and fish farmers. These include the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF), and Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah-Yojana (PM-MKSSY).
The Government has also extended the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) facility to fishers and fish farmers since the financial year 2018-19 to help meet their working capital requirements.
On aquaculture insurance, the Minister said PM-MKSSY provides a one-time incentive to farmers for purchasing insurance. The incentive is 40 per cent of the premium paid, subject to a ceiling of Rs 25,000 per hectare or Rs 1 lakh per farmer for up to four hectares of water spread area.
For aquaculture systems, including intensive systems such as farms, cage culture, Recirculatory Aquaculture Systems (RAS), bio-floc and raceways, the insurance incentive is also 40 per cent of the premium, with a ceiling of Rs 1 lakh per farmer for intensive aquaculture systems covering up to 1,800 cubic metres.
The Centre said beneficiaries belonging to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities, as well as women beneficiaries, are eligible for an additional 10 per cent incentive over and above the incentive available to general category farmers.
