India holds immense potential to harness its vast marine and inland water resources to emerge as a global aquaculture leader. However capital, technology and capacity barriers inhibit small fishers and limit production scale. The Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, launched in 2020, aims to address these gaps through comprehensive environmentally sustainable growth interventions across fisheries production, infrastructure, post-harvest operations, governance and livelihoods security.
- Central scheme under Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY)
- Aims to enhance fishers’ incomes and boost fish production
- 4-year duration from 2023-27 with Rs 6,000 crore outlay
Overview of Indian Fisheries Sector
Fisheries is among India’s sunrise sectors, being one of the fastest growing with steady gains in fish production, consumption and export competitiveness. India currently ranks 3rd in aquaculture and 2nd in inland fish farming globally, reflecting inherent strengths. With diverse marine and freshwater resources supporting over 15 million citizens across fishing communities directly or indirectly and sectoral trade projected to expand substantially by 2025, India is poised to become a global leader in seafood trade through focused policy interventions.
- Fastest growing food production sector
- Over 15 million people dependent for livelihoods
- Poised to be global export powerhouse
Support to Fishing Community
The small-scale fisheries sector forms the backbone for India’s coastal economy but remains vulnerable to multiple risks. The PM-MKSSY scheme aims to build resilience and empower fishing microenterprises through financial inclusion, risk mitigation and infrastructure upgrades for improved productivity.
- Interest subvention for fisheries MSME loans
- Insurance cover for fishers and harbor infrastructure
- Storage and marketing infrastructure upgrades
Interventions for Aquaculture Growth
India holds tremendous promise for expanding domestic fish production significantly through targeted development of its aquaculture sector. However, small-scale fish farmers face impediments around inadequate access to credit, technology and markets – hampering scale-up. The PM-MKSSY scheme is designed to catalyze transformative growth in this sector through interventions enabling easier formal credit access via interest subsidies, dedicated funds for attracting youth into entrepreneurship roles through end-to-end support and productivity enhancements leveraging technology integration.
- Entrepreneurship development schemes
- Technology infusion for productivity gains
- Cluster-based area expansion approach
Focus on Post-Harvest Management
India’s fisheries sector is plagued by challenges of sub-optimal produce handling mechanisms post harvest – resulting in spoilage losses upto 25%, subdued farmer profits and inhibiting export readiness due to breaks in cold chain requirements. Lack of refrigerated transport, processing equipment and traceability frameworks curb wider domestic market access too. The PM-MKSSY scheme Accounts for such post-harvest needs through provisions supporting cooperatives and entrepreneurs.
- EV refrigeration, processing equipment subsidies
- Traceability frameworks for export competitiveness
- Multispecies aquaculture complex inauguration
Thrust on Fishers’ Skill Upgradation
To optimize gains from India’s growing fisheries output, enhancing skills and entrepreneurial mindset among youth from fishing communities will be imperative. The PM-MKSSY scheme recognizes capacity building as a pivotal pillar by budgeting dedicated funds for digital skill development programs, establishing state-level incubators guiding commercialization, and sponsored exchange programs facilitating global best practices transfer.
- Online courses, training programs for youth
- 100 technology/business incubation centres
- Exchange programs for global best practices
Roadmap for Effective Implementation
The Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Sambriddhi Sah-Yojana is a promising scheme addressing multiple gaps through interventions across domains to empower fisher communities. However, to translate policy vision into ground results will require strengthening implementation capacities around operational coordination, process efficiency and monitoring mechanisms.
- Robust coordination across ministries, agencies
- Digitalization of processes – applications, payments
- Impact analysis guiding course correction
With a farmer-centric value chain approach spanning production, infrastructure, capacity building and governance – PM-MKSSY lays the foundation for realization of India’s true blue economy potential.