The inland fish production in the country, during last five years, witnessed the annual growth of 7.94% and registered the highest fish production of 131.13 Lakh tonnes in 2022-23. The year-wise details of inland fish production during last five years are as under: -

Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India has taken various initiatives and programs to boost fish production in the country which includes (i) Implementation of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS): Blue Revolution: Integrated Development and Management of Fisheries during the period from 2015-16 to 2019-20 with the central outlay of Rs. 3000 crore. (ii) Implementation of flagship scheme “Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY)- A scheme to bring about Blue Revolution through sustainable and responsible development of fisheries sector in India” with an investment of Rs. 20,050 crore for a period of five years with effect from the financial year 2020-21 to 2024-25 covering all the States\UTs. (iii) Implementation of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF) with a total fund size of Rs 7522.48 crore implemented for a period of 5 years from 2018-19 to 2023-24 for providing concessional finance, (iv) Extension of Kisan Credit Cards (KCC) facility to fishers and fish farmers in the year 2018-19 to meet their working capital requirement.

There has been a rapid increase in the inland fish production in the country since 2018, from 97.20 lakh tonnes in 2018-19 to 131.13 lakh tonnes in 2022-23, showing a record increase of 34.9% in the overall Inland fish production during the period from 2018-19 to 2022-23.

To facilitate the access to institution credit for the fisheries sector, in the year 2018-19, Government of India extended the facility of Kisan Credit Card facilities to fishers and fish farmers to meet their working capital requirements. Further, in order to provide social security cover to fishers, the Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India under Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) provides accidental insurance coverage to fishers. The insurance coverage provided under the PMMSY includes (i) Rs.5,00,000/- against death or permanent total disability, (ii) Rs.2,50,000/- for permanent partial disability and (iii) hospitalization expenses in the event of accident for a sum of Rs. 25,000/. During last three years (from 2020-21 to 2022-23) and current financial year (2023-24) insurance cover to a total 96.48 lakh fishers and fish farmers has been provided under the PMMSY.

This information was given by Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Shri Parshottam Rupala in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

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