Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Shri Parshottam Rupala along with Minister of State Dr. L Murugan will participate in the Sagar Parikrama (Phase X) event being organized from 1^st January 2024 to 6^th January 2024 at various locations of Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry.

Union Ministers will distribute Kisan Credit Card (KCC) to beneficiaries like fishermen, aqua farmers and other stakeholders during the events to progressive fishermen, particularly coastal fishermen and fish farmers, young fisheries entrepreneurs etc. Best practices and initiatives taken through Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) scheme, KCC and other schemes will be widely disseminated to fishermen for their benefits. Senior officials from Department of Fisheries, Government of Andhra Pradesh, National Fisheries Development Board, Indian Coast Guard, Fishery Survey of India, fishermen association and other dignitaries will also participate in the event.

The Sagar Parikrama Yatra features the interactions of Minister with fishermen, fish farmers and other relevant stakeholders. Campaigns on KCC and other activities are also being conducted across the coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry. State fisheries officials, fishermen representatives, fish-farmers, entrepreneurs, fishermen cooperative society leaders, professionals, scientists, and other stakeholders from across the nation will accompany the events.

The journey of first phase of “Sagar Parikrama” started from Mandvi, Gujarat on 5^th March 2022 and so far, the total nine phases of Sagar Parikrama have been covered in the coastal States/UTs of Gujarat, Daman & Diu, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Andaman & Nicobar, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and part of Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh during initiation of its tenth phase. Sagar Parikrama Phase-X will continue and cover the remaining coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh namely Nellore, Prakasam, Bapatla, Krishna, WestGodavari, Konaseema, Kakinada,Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam and Yanam (Union Territory of Puducherry).

Andhra Pradesh state is blessed with potential and diversified water resources with 974 kms of coastline, 33,227 kms of continental shelf area, 555 marine fishermen villages, 2 fishing harbours, 350 fish landing centres, 31147 fishing crafts, 65 cold storages, 64 processing plants, 235 ice plants, 28 feed mills, 357 hatcheries and 234 Aqualabs.

In Andhra Pradesh, under Govt of India Flagship Scheme Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), total investment envisaged in the fisheries sector for 5 years is Rs. 2300 Crore. Some of the important projects undertaken  under PMMSY includes Construction of Fish Landing Centres, Construction of fishing harbours, Construction of Cold storages/Ice plants, acquisition of new Deep sea fishing vessels for traditional fishermen, Construction of Brood Bank, Construction of Freshwater finfish and brackishwater hatcheries, Expansion area for aquaculture, Stocking of fingerlings, Establishment of Disease diagnostic and quality testing labs, Communication and tracking  Devices for traditional and motorised vessels like VHF /Transponders etc.

Sagar Parikrama is a testament to the transformative power of visionary leadership for welfare of fishing community and coastal development. It is an initiative taken by Government, with an aim to resolve the issues of the fishers, other stakeholders and facilitate their economic upliftment through various fisheries’ schemes and programs being implemented by the Government such as Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) and Kisan Credit Card for Fisheries (KCC).

Sagar Parikrama is making an impact in improving the quality of life and economic wellbeing of people by understanding their issues and it gives an immense opportunity to fishermen to interact with Ministers and Senior Government officials at their doorstep.  Sagar Parikrama will continuously support in resolving the issues of fishermen, fish farmers and facilitate their economic upliftment through various fisheries schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), Kisan Credit Card (KCC) and other program implemented by Government of India.

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SK/SS/SM