The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying (MoFAH&D), Government of India, organized the “Review meeting on implementation of Schemes and Programmes for development of fisheries and aquaculture in State of Odisha” on 8^th July 2026 at Bhubaneshwar, Odisha under the chairmanship of Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Hon’ble Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying and Panchayati Raj.

The meeting was held in the gracious presence of Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Hon’ble Union Minister of Education, Government of India, Prof. S.P. Singh Baghel, Hon’ble Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying and Panchayati Raj and Shri Gokulananda Mallik, Hon’ble Minister of Fisheries, ARD & MSME, Government of Odisha. The meeting also witnessed participation from officials from Department of Fisheries, GoI, Odisha state fisheries department, National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB), ICAR institutes, NCDC and Representative of Paradip Port Trust.

Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Hon’ble Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying and Panchayati Raj appreciated the efforts of the state for emerging as a significant fisheries hub with a diversified freshwater, brackish water and marine fisheries base, recording 12.70 lakh MT of fish production in 2025-26, supporting over 16 lakh fishers, and generating ₹5,429 crore in seafood exports. It was noted that the state has received substantial support under PMMSY, with projects worth over ₹1,301 crore approved, covering fish production enhancement, infrastructure development, technology adoption, fisher welfare, and post-harvest facilities. The Union Minister urged the Government of Odisha to further strengthen the fisheries value chain and utilize the untapped export potential by fostering closer collaboration among fishers, fish farmers, exporters, cooperatives, FFPOs, and other stakeholders. He also emphasized the need to enhance capacity building, promote value addition through modern processing, and diversify fish species and fisheries products to improve competitiveness, expand export opportunities, and increase incomes across the fisheries sector.

Dr. Abhilaksh likhi, secretary (Fisheries), Department of Fisheries, Government of India highlighted the importance of ensuring effective convergence between Central schemes, State initiatives, financial institutions and research organizations to maximize the impact of fisheries development interventions. He emphasized timely project execution, outcome-based monitoring, and greater focus on innovation, sustainability and institutional strengthening to accelerate the growth of the fisheries sector in Odisha.

The review meeting commenced with a welcome address by Dr. Bijay Kumar Behera, Chief Executive, NFDB, who welcomed the dignitaries and participants and set the context for the deliberations by highlighting the importance of fisheries and aquaculture in driving livelihoods, nutritional security and exports in Odisha. This was followed by a detailed presentation by Dr. Surabhi Rai, Joint Secretary, Department of Fisheries, Government of India, who reviewed the implementation status of major Central sector schemes, including Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF), Kisan Credit Card (KCC), and PM-MKSSY in Odisha. The presentation also covered progress under PMMSY, development of fisheries infrastructure, fishing harbours, hatcheries, feed mills, reservoir cage culture, climate-resilient coastal fishing villages, artificial reefs, fisheries cooperatives and FFPOs, while identifying areas requiring focused attention, including KCC coverage, traceability, project implementation, and export-oriented value chain development.

Representatives from ICAR-Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (ICAR-CIFA), NABARD and NCDC apprised the gathering on ongoing initiatives to strengthen Odisha’s fisheries sector through scientific aquaculture practices, enhanced institutional credit, cooperative development, infrastructure creation, value-chain strengthening and market linkages. They highlighted opportunities for expanding and strengthening fisheries infrastructure such as hatcheries, fishing harbours, landing centres, additional cold chain and processing facilities, while also promoting diversification into high-value species including scampi, seabass, pompano and tilapia to enhance productivity, profitability and export competitiveness. The representatives underscored the importance of technology adoption, stakeholder convergence and increased investment to unlock the full potential of the State’s fisheries sector.

The deliberations underscored the importance of coordinated efforts by the Central Government, State Government, research institutions, financial institutions, and fisheries stakeholders to transform Odisha into a leading fisheries and aquaculture hub and contribute significantly to India’s Blue Economy ambitions.

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JP