The Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying, Government of India, launched Phase VI of the Sagar Parikrama program on the occasion of the 75th Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. The program aims to cover a pre-decided sea route, including coastal states and Union Territories. The two-day Phase VI took place in Andaman & Nicobar Islands, starting from the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Aquaculture (RGCA) – Marine Product Export Development Authority (MPEDA), Kodiyaghat, Port Blair, with a focus on understanding the Domestication of Tiger Shrimp Project.
Shri Parshottam Rupala, Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, along with Shri Keshav Chandra, IAS, Chief Secretary, Government of Andaman & Nicobar, and Dr. L.N Murthy, National Fisheries Development Board, graced the occasion. The Sagar Parikrama program will proceed to other locations such as Panighat Fish landing center, VK Pur Fish Lending Center, Hutbay, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Islands, and others. The event began with a warm welcome for Shri Parshottam Rupala by fishermen and women, who greeted him with garlands and flowers.
During his address, Shri Rupala acknowledged the crucial role of fish farmers in meeting the growing demand for food and recognized the invaluable contributions of fishermen and fish farmers in providing sustenance. He emphasized the importance of sustainable fishing practices that increase productivity while minimizing environmental impact. Shri Rupala highlighted that due to the high demand from fishermen across the country to support their livelihood improvement, the Prime Minister established a separate Department of Fisheries. He mentioned that from 1950 to 2014, approximately Rs. 3,681 crore was invested in the fisheries sector, and thereafter, schemes such as PMMSY and FIDF were introduced with a budget of around Rs. 32,000 crore for the development of the fisheries sector, taking into account ground realities.
Shri Rupala interacted with beneficiaries such as fish farmers and fishermen present at the event. Many beneficiaries shared their experiences and raised their concerns while appreciating the significant contribution of schemes like Kisan Credit Card (KCC) and PMMSY to the lives of fishermen and the fishing community.
The Union Minister felicitated beneficiaries, including fishermen, fish farmers, and other stakeholders, by sanctioning Kisan Credit Cards (KCC). KCC camps were organized at various locations, where fishermen received KCC application forms with the assistance of Sagar Mitras (volunteers). Several beneficiaries were felicitated with KCC cards during the event. Shri Rupala discussed with officials about setting up a domestication projection for tiger shrimp, selective breeding, nucleus breeding, and the establishment of a shrimp evaluation study unit. He also discussed actions taken, such as the allocation of broadstock quantity and inspection of shrimp hatcheries.
