National Policy on Marine Fisheries, 2017

• In April 2017, the Government of India notified the 'National Policy on Marine Fisheries, 2017' (NPMF), which provides guidance for promoting the 'Blue Growth Initiative' which focuses on ushering 'Blue Revolution' (NeeliKranti) by sustainable utilization of fisheries wealth from the marine and other aquatic resources of the country for improving the lives and livelihoods of fishermen and their families.
• Government of India envisages bringing out a National Fisheries Policy for holistic development of the fisheries sector.
• The proposed policy would incorporate the provisions of the existing National Policy on Marine Fisheries, 2017 and will provide for policy provisions for the sub-sectors of inland fisheries, aquaculture, mariculture including elements of postharvest.
• Given the cross-cutting nature of various fisheries sub-sectors, it is considered that an integrated National Fisheries Policy would better serve the public interest rather than individual sub-sector wise policies. Allocation of funds is usually made under the schemes and programmes implemented by the Government in line with the Policy directives.
• The Government has allocated Rs.560 crore for the continuation of the ‘Blue Revolution Scheme’ during the financial year 2020-21 for undertaking various ongoing fisheries development programmes including marine fishery, aquaculture and mariculture.
• Besides, the Government created the Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF) during 2018-19 with a fund size of Rs. 7,522.48 crores spreading over a period of five years.
• Further the Government, in its Union Budget 2019-20 has announced a new scheme the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) which envisages a total investment of about Rs 20,050 crores which includes central, state and beneficiary shares over a period of five years w.e.f. 2020-21

Marine wealth of India

• India has an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of 2.02 million sq.km, a long coastline of 8,118 km and two major groups of Islands, with rich and diverse marine living resources.
• Marine fisheries wealth is estimated at an annual harvestable potential of 4.412 million metric tonnes.
• An estimated 4.0 million people depend for their livelihoods on the marine fisheries resources.
• The marine fisheries contribute to an economic wealth valued at about Rs. 65,000 crores.
• Marine fisheries of the country are highly diverse but predominantly comprising small - scale and artisanal fishers.

Mission

• While keeping sustainability of the resources at the core of all actions, the policy framework will meet the national, social and economic goals, livelihood sustainability and socio-economic upliftment of the fisher community and is intended to guide the coordination and management of marine fisheries in the country during the next ten years.

Strategy

• The overall strategy of the NPMF, 2017 is based on seven pillars, namely sustainable development, socio - economic upliftment of fishers, principle of subsidiarity, partnership, inter-generational equity, gender justice and precautionary approach. These seven pillars will guide the actions of various stakeholders in meeting the vision and mission set for the marine fisheries sector of the country.

SAMPADA (Scheme for Agro-Marine Processing and Development of Agro-Processing Clusters)

• The Central Sector Scheme - SAMPADA (Scheme for Agro-Marine Processing and Development of Agro-Processing Clusters) was approved by the cabinet in May 2017 for the period of 2016-20 coterminous with the 14th Finance Commission cycle. The scheme has now been renamed as the "Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY)".
• It is an umbrella scheme incorporating ongoing schemes of the Ministry like Mega Food Parks, Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure, Food Safety and Quality Assurance Infrastructure, etc. and also new schemes like Infrastructure for Agro-processing Clusters, Creation of Backward and Forward Linkages, Creation / Expansion of Food Processing & Preservation Capacities.

Objective

The objective of PMKSY is to supplement agriculture, modernize processing and decrease Agri-Waste.

Schemes to be implemented

• Mega Food Parks
• Integrated Cold Chain, Value Addition and Preservation Infrastructure
• Creation/Expansion of Food Processing/Preservation Capacities
• Infrastructure for Agro Processing Clusters
• Scheme for Creation of Backward and Forward Linkages
• Food Safety & Quality Assurance Infrastructure
• Human Resources and Institutions
• Financial Allocation

PMKSY with an allocation of Rs. 6,000 crore is expected to leverage investment of Rs. 31,400 crore, handling of 334 lakh MT agro-produce valuing Rs. 1,04,125 crore, benefit 20 lakh farmers and generate 5,30,500 direct/ indirect employment in the country by the year 2019-20.

Impact

• The implementation of PMKSY will result in creation of modern infrastructure with efficient supply chain management from farm gate to retail outlet.
• It will provide a big boost to the growth of food processing sector in the country.
• It will help in providing better prices to farmers and is a big step towards doubling of farmers’ income.
• It will create huge employment opportunities especially in the rural areas.
• It will also help in reducing wastage of agricultural produce, increasing the processing level, availability of safe and convenient processed foods at affordable price to consumers and enhancing the export of the processed foods.

Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana:

• PM Matsya Sampada Yojana 2019 is to promote aquaculture. The govt. has already constituted a separate department for integrated development of fisheries. The central govt. has also created a special fund to develop infrastructure related to fishing industry. This fund would be used for creation of fisheries infrastructure facilities both in marine and inland fisheries sectors.
• The central govt. has targeted to augment fish production to achieve its target of 15 million tonne by FY 2020 would be done under Blue Revolution.
• The govt. would further raise the target to 20 million tonnes by FY 2022-23. FIDF fund would be used to attract private investment in creation and management of infrastructure facilities. Moreover, govt. will also focus on acquisition of the state-of-the-art technologies.
• FIDF is going to provide concessional finance to state govt, cooperatives, individuals and entrepreneurs. This finance would be used to take up identified investment activities of fisheries development. Under FIDF, loan lending would be over a period of five years from 2018-19 to 2022-23. The maximum repayment will be over a period of 12 years inclusive of moratorium of 2 years on repayment of principal.
• Through the Scheme the Department of Fisheries will establish a robust fisheries management framework.
• This will address critical gaps in strengthening the value chain, including infrastructure, modernization, traceability, production, productivity, post-harvest management, and quality control