The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has given its approval for implementation of an umbrella scheme for integrated development and management of fisheries at an outlay of ₹ 3,000 crore, for a period of five years. The Central Sector Scheme covers development and management of inland fisheries, aquaculture, marine fisheries including deep sea fishing, mariculture and all activities undertaken by the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) towards realizing “Blue Revolution”. The scheme has the following six broad components:

(a) National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) and its activities,

(b) Development of Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture,

(c) Development of Marine Fisheries, Infrastructure and Post Harvest Operations,

(d) Strengthening of Database & Geographical Information System of the Fisheries Sector,

(e) Institutional Arrangement for Fisheries Sector and

(f) Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) and other need-based Interventions.

The components of the scheme namely (a) Strengthening of Database & 3eographical Information System of the Fisheries Sector, (b) Institutional Arrangement for the Fisheries Sector and (c) Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) and other need-based Interventions would be implemented Departmentally (Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries (DADF)) with 100% central funding.

The scheme provides for suitable linkages and convergence with the "Sagarmala Project" of the Ministry of Shipping, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNAREGA), Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) etc.

The Central Sector Scheme aims at a focussed and integrated approach for development and management of fisheries and aquaculture sector to ensure a sustained annual growth rate of 6% - 8% as against an overall annual growth rate of about 4% during the 11th Five Year Plan period.

The scheme with its multi-dimensional activities, focuses mainly on increasing production and productivity from aquaculture and fisheries resources, both inland and marine. The scheme is intended to utilise most of the unutilised fisheries resources keeping in view the overall sustainability, bio-security and environmental concerns.

Besides providing a major impetus to the fishery sector, the scheme provides to encourage economically weaker sections such as Scheduled Castes(SCs), Scheduled Tribes(STs), Women and their co-operatives to take up fishing and fisheries related activities.

The scheme would also encourage increasing private investment, entrepreneurship development, more Public Private Partnership (PPP) and better leveraging of institutional finance. Besides, the scheme encompasses skill development and capacity building in fisheries and allied activities; and creation of post-harvest and cold chain infrastructure facilities.

The scheme would benefit the entire fisheries sector covering about 14.50 million fishers. Besides the fishers, the scheme would also benefit other stakeholders such as fish farmers, fisheries entrepreneurs, fish retailers, wholesalers, fish processors, fish exports and women groups amongst others. Besides the increase in fish production at the primary level, the scheme would also stimulate growth of the subsidiary and allied industries and growth of other related economic activities, especially in the coastal regions, leading to many direct and indirect benefits to the entire fisheries sector.

The Central Sector Scheme will be implemented in all the States including North East States and Union Territories.

Background:

Fisheries is a sunrise sector with varied resources and potential, engaging over 14.50 million people at the primary level and many more along the value chain. Transformation of the fisheries sector from traditional to commercial scale has led to an -increase in fish production from 7.5 lakh tonne in 1950-51 to 100.70 lakh tonne during 2014-15, while the export earnings from the sector registered at ₹ 33,441 crore in 2014-15 (US$ 5.51 billion). With an overall annual growth rate of about 4% during the 11th Five Year Plan period, the sector contributed about 0.92% to the National Gross Domestic Production(GDP) and 5.58% to the agricultural GDP (2013-14). Constituting about 6.30% of the global fish production and 5% of global trade, India today has attained the status of the second largest fish producing and second largest aquaculture nation in the world.

Central Sector Scheme for integrated fisheries development to implement Blue Revolution and strengthen fisheries governance and infrastructure. The Central Sector Scheme establishes an umbrella programme to implement the Blue Revolution through six components covering NFDB activities, inland and marine fisheries development, infrastructure and post harvest operations, database and GIS strengthening, institutional arrangements, and Monitoring, Control and Surveillance; components for database/GIS, institutional arrangements and MCS are to be implemented departmentally by the Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries with full central funding and linked with existing rural and infrastructure programmes.