Infrastructure to create multifarious benefits to fishers and fish farmers
Department of Fisheries has accorded approvals to a total of 110 proposals with a total outlay of Rs.5,285.45 crore for various fisheries infrastructures, Parshottam Rupala, Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying said in a written reply in Rajya Sabha on 23 Dec 2022.
The Department, during the financial year 2018-19, has created Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF) with a total fund size of Rs.7,522.48 crore.
FIDF inter-alia provides concessional finance for development of various fisheries infrastructure facilities which includes Establishment of Fishing Harbours, Fish Landing Centres, setting up of brood banks, development of hatcheries, development of aquaculture, establishment of cage culture in reservoir, development of modern fish markets, construction of ice plants, construction of cold storage, fish transport facilities, fish feed mills, fish processing units among others, said the Minister.
The FIDF scheme provides concessional finance to the Eligible Entities (EEs), including State Governments/Union Territories and State entities for development of identified fisheries infrastructure facilities through the interest subvention up-to 3% per annum by the Nodal Loaning Entities (NLEs).
The infrastructure is to create multifarious benefits to fishers and fish farmers such as providing of safe landing and berthing facilities for smooth operation of fishing vessels, supply of ice, providing fish processing and fish preservation facilities to reduce the post-harvest loss, supply of quality fish seeds, introduction of modern technologies like Recirculation Aquaculture System (RAS), Cage Culture and Bio-floc for intensive aquaculture among others, he said. fiinews.com
