Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Government of India, organized the 'Fisheries Summer Meet 2024' Today at Madurai, Tamil Nadu. The 'Fisheries Summer Meet 2024' aimed at recognizing the contributions made by fish farmers, aquapreneurs, and fishermen for the development of the fisheries sector, showcase the achievements of DoF (GoI) and raise awareness about the sector.

 312 Fisheries Projects covering 19 States/UTs across the country with an investment of Rs. 114 crore, supported under the DoF (GoI) flagship scheme Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), were inaugurated by Union Minister Shri Rajeev Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh in the presence of Prof. S P Singh Baghel MoS, MoFAH&D and Ministry of Panchayati Raj and Shri George Kurian, MoS, MoFAH&D and Ministry of Minority Affairs.

 Union Minister Shri Rajeev Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh discussed the role of various stakeholders in the fisheries sector and implementation of the PMMSY scheme, that aims to enhance fish production and productivity through modern fishing and aquaculture methods. Shri Singh emphasized on the importance of high-quality seeds, brood banks, RAS, Biofloc, deep-sea vessels, and technology infusion for increasing production. He encouraged States/UTs to raise awareness about KCC, insurance etc. Additionally, he acknowledged the challenges posed by the sector's unorganized nature but expressed confidence that collaborative efforts amongst stakeholders shall address these issues.

Prof. S.P. Singh Baghel, Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying and Panchayati Raj, commended the exchange of knowledge and perspectives amongst beneficiaries and senior officials from various states. He underscored the significance of the fisheries sector in bolstering the Indian economy and acknowledged the vital role of fishers and fish farmers in meeting rising demands of food and nutrition. He also highlighted the importance of sustainable fishing practices that enhances productivity while minimizing environmental impact. Additionally, he encouraged approval of KCC to the beneficiaries from Animal Husbandry and Fisheries sectors.

Shri George Kurian, MoS of MoFAH&D and the Ministry of Minority Affairs, highlighted the achievements of the Indian fisheries sector, noting the unique contribution of inland fisheries. Emphasis was laid on the substantial investments in schemes and GoI’s vision for holistic growth, prioritizing socio-economic prosperity for fishers and farmers.

State Fisheries Ministers present during the event shared the growth and development in the fisheries sector in their respective states. Ministers highlighted state-specific gaps and areas of focus to ensure the sustainable growth of the fisheries sector in their states. While they emphasized on taking up technical training, capacity building, handholding, technology infusion, and research as major focus areas, they proposed to prioritize support for the families and welfare of traditional fishers and fish farmers.

The august gathering of senior leadership was welcomed by Dr. Abhilaksh Likhi, Secretary, DoF, GoI, that was followed by an impactful video on the achievements of DoF (GoI).

Shri Sagar Mehra, Joint Secretary (IF), presented the overall progress of sector and effort made by DoF (GoI) covering various focus areas. This included production and aquaculture, various GoI schemes and initiatives, the progress and impact of ongoing schemes, and a discussion on focus areas for the States/UTs. Additionally, he shared information on Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah Yojana (PM-MKSSY), a new sub-scheme under PMMSY, outlining its goals and components and conveyed the expectations from the State/UTs for their active participation.

Beneficiaries from different States/UTs namely Shri Harendra Rabha, Assam, Shri Prem shankar, Bihar, Smt. Purnima Sahu, Chhattisgarh, Shri Clement Fernandes, Goa, Shri Vinod Kumar, Himachal Pradesh, Smt. Shifa Jahur Hakim, Maharashtra, Smt. Geeta Saxena, Uttar Pradesh, Shri Hajerommabi M., Lakshadweep, Shri Nithish Kumar, Karnataka and Shri Nishant Kumar, Jharkhand interacted with the Union Minister Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh. The beneficiaries discussed their experiences, highlighted their issues and appreciated the efforts of DoF (GoI). They also highlighted that support recieved in form of Kisan Credit Card (KCC) and financial assistance under PMMSY helped and supported them in making their initiatives and businesses successful.

Dr. J K Jena, DDG (Fisheries) from ICAR gave a presentation on the research and development initiatives undertaken in fisheries and aquaculture. This was followed by a deliberation in which representatives from the different states presented their viewpoints. The senior officials present were Shri Rajeev Ranjan, Principal Secretary,  Haryana, Shri Thiru. Shunchonngam Jatak Chiru, Commissioner of Fisheries, Tamil Nadu, Shri Aboobaker  Siddiqui  P, Secretary,  Fisheries, Jharkhand, Smt. Nandini  Paliwal, Commissioner-Cum-Secretary Andaman  Nicobar  Island, Shri E.Vallavan, Secretary, Goa. Focus areas and priorities that came up during the discussion included strengthening of infrastructure, maintaining a comprehensive fisheries’ database, ease of availing KCC by fishers and fish farmers, availability of quality seed, improved coordination with state governments, boosting tourism etc.

Hence, the observations received during the Fisheries Summer Meet 2024 are expected to play a crucial role in defining priorities at Center and States/UTs for successful implementation of projects and identify sectoral needs and priorities for sustainable, equitable and inclusive development of the Indian fisheries sector.

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