Question : Funds to Traditional and Small Fishermen for Fisheries Infrastructure

(a) whether the Government is considering allocating any amount to the traditional and small fishermen to ensure such storage and marketing facilities as ice-box, cold storage, ice-plant and infrastructure facilities;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) if not, the outline of the Government in this regard;
(d) the total land converted into ponds by fishermen/peasants for fishing purposes during the last five years;
(e) the details thereof, State and year-wise; and
(f) the reaction of the Government thereto?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING
(SHRI PRATAP CHANDRA SARANGI)
(a) to (f) : The Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) on Blue Revolution: Integrated Development and Management of Fisheries inter-alia provides financial assistance for strengthening of Post Harvest Infrastructure facilities fisheries such as (i) Ice plants, Cold storages, Ice plants-cum-cold storages, (ii) Renovation/modernization of existing Ice plants, Cold storages and Ice plants-cum-cold storages, (iii) Development of retail fish markets and allied infrastructure and (iv) setting up of mobile/retail fish outlets. The CSS also provides financial assistance for fish transport infrastructure such as Refrigerated Trucks/Containers, Insulated Trucks, Auto Rickshaw with ice box, Motorcycle with ice box, Bicycle with ice box and procurement of insulated fish & ice holding boxes. Besides, in order to address the infrastructural requirements for fisheries sector, a dedicated fund namely Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Fund (FIDF) has been launched during 2018-19 with a fund size of Rs 7522.48 crore. Under the FIDF concessional finance is also provided for development of cold storage, ice-plants, fish transport and cold chain infrastructures.
State-wise details of area taken up for fish culture during last five years from 2014-15 to 2018-19 are furnished at Annexure-I