The Blue Revolution: PMMSY
The Government of India has embarked on a massive initiative to bring about the Blue Revolution through sustainable and responsible development of the fisheries sector, and welfare of fishermen in the country, under the umbrella of the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY).
Objectives and Key Activities
The PMMSY aims to bring about the Blue Revolution by focusing on the following key activities:
- Welfare related activities for fishers and fish farmers, including group accidental insurance coverage, livelihood and nutritional support, and installation of transponders on fishing vessels.
- Development of fishing harbours, fish landing centres, cold chains, and market infrastructure to reduce post-harvest losses and enhance income.
- Training, skill development, and formation of fisheries cooperatives, Fish Farmer Producer Organizations (FFPOs) to empower stakeholders with modern techniques and collective bargaining power.
- Diversification through seaweed farming, ornamental fisheries, and mariculture, while implementing development of climate resilient coastal fishermen village and model coastal fishing villages.
The PMMSY also aims to reduce post-harvest losses and enhance income for fishermen and fish farmers by supporting the development of fishing harbours, fish landing centres, cold chains, and market infrastructure.
Key Benefits
The PMMSY offers several benefits to fishermen and fish farmers, including:
- Group accidental insurance coverage of Rs. 5 lakh against death or permanent total disability, Rs. 2.50 lakh against permanent partial disability, and Rs. 25,000 against accidental hospitalization.
- Livelihood and nutritional support for socio-economically backward active traditional fishers families during fishing ban/lean period.
- Installation of transponders on 1,00,000 fishing vessels with two-way communication during any emergency.
- Fishing vessel insurance support.
- Replacement of net and boat, and support for acquisition and upgradation of fishing vessel for deep sea fishing.
The PMMSY also promotes diversification through seaweed farming, ornamental fisheries, and mariculture, while implementing development of climate resilient coastal fishermen village and model coastal fishing villages.
Implementation and Impact
The PMMSY has been implemented in all States/Union Territories with an investment of Rs. 20,050 crore.
| Year | Number of KCC Cards Issued | Disbursed Amount (in Rs.) |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | 4,76,237 | 3214.32 crore |
The Government of India has issued 4,76,237 KCC cards to fishers and fish farmers in all States/UTs, with a disbursed amount of Rs. 3214.32 crore.
Enhancing Credit Accessibility
The Government of India has extended the facility of Kisan Credit Card to fishers and fish farmers to meet their working capital requirements.
“The Kisan Credit Card (KCC) has been a game-changer for fishers and fish farmers, enabling them to access credit and meet their working capital requirements.” – Union Minister of State, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Shri George Kurian.
The Government of India has enhanced the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) lending limit for fisheries & allied activities from ₹2 lakh to ₹5 lakh from 2025-26, to enhance credit accessibility for fishers, farmers, processors, and other fisheries’ stakeholders.
Diversification and Sustainable Livelihoods
The PMMSY promotes diversification through seaweed farming, ornamental fisheries, and mariculture, while implementing development of climate resilient coastal fishermen village and model coastal fishing villages. The PMMSY aims to create sustainable livelihood opportunities for coastal fishers communities and enhance their participation in fisheries value chains.
The PMMSY also promotes diversification through seaweed farming, ornamental fisheries, and mariculture, while implementing development of climate resilient coastal fishermen village and model coastal fishing villages.
Conclusion
The PMMSY is a flagship scheme of the Government of India, aimed at bringing about the Blue Revolution through sustainable and responsible development of the fisheries sector and welfare of fishermen in the country. The scheme offers several benefits to fishermen and fish farmers, including group accidental insurance coverage, livelihood and nutritional support, and installation of transponders on fishing vessels. The PMMSY has been implemented in all States/Union Territories with an investment of Rs. 20,050 crore, and has issued 4,76,237 KCC cards to fishers and fish farmers, with a disbursed amount of Rs. 3214.32 crore. The scheme promotes diversification through seaweed farming, ornamental fisheries, and mariculture, while implementing development of climate resilient coastal fishermen village and model coastal fishing villages. The PMMSY aims to create sustainable livelihood opportunities for coastal fishers communities and enhance their participation in fisheries value chains.