NEW DELHI — The Department of Fisheries, operating under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, celebrated India’s 80th Independence Day on August 15, 2026, alongside fishers and fish farmers from across the country.
The celebrations aligned with national themes of “150 Years of Vande Mataram” and “Yuva Shakti for Viksit Bharat@2047”, emphasizing youth-driven enterprise, technological modernization, and structural support for India’s ₹39,272 crore Blue Economy framework.
Key Highlights & Sectoral Statistics
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Global & Domestic Standing:
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India ranks as the world’s second-largest fish producer (contributing 8% to global output) and leads globally in shrimp production and export.
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The sector provides direct livelihoods to approximately 3 crore fishers and fish farmers.
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Capital Investments: The central government has directed ₹39,272 crore in cumulative funding since 2015 across major flagship programs, including the Blue Revolution Scheme, Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF), Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), and the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah-Yojana (PM-MKSSY).
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PM-MKSSY Beneficiary Engagement:
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Following main events at the Red Fort, the Department hosted an interaction program for beneficiaries of the ₹6,000-crore PM-MKSSY sub-scheme.
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Five selected beneficiaries were invited to the official “At-Home” reception hosted by the President of India at Rashtrapati Bhavan: Nitul Ch Das (Assam), Suresh Chandra Rout (Odisha), Ekanath Rama Mukane (Maharashtra), Akash Singh (Uttar Pradesh), and Misha Singh (Bihar).
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Structural Reform Focus: PM-MKSSY focuses on formalizing the unorganized fisheries sector via digital IDs on the National Fisheries Digital Platform (NFDP), expanding access to institutional credit, offering one-time aquaculture insurance incentives, and providing performance grants to micro and small fisheries enterprises.
