West Bengal fisheries development has received a Rs 9 crore central funding allocation, while six Amrit Sarovar water conservation projects have been approved for the drought-prone districts of Purulia and Bankura, state chief minister Suvendu Adhikari said after meeting Union fisheries and animal husbandry minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh in Kolkata on Monday.
Adhikari said the funding would support development in the state’s fisheries sector and that discussions covered loan assistance for fishermen, registration under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), completion of ongoing projects and preparation for upcoming works.
“All fishermen in Bengal will now come under Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana,” Adhikari said. According to the statement attributed to him, 1.2 lakh fishermen have been registered under the scheme so far, while applications from 2.8 lakh fishermen have been received.
The registration figure indicates that the state’s next implementation challenge will be to bring the remaining applicants into the scheme and connect eligible fishermen with its support mechanisms. The source report does not specify the timeline for completing the registration process or how the Rs 9 crore allocation will be distributed across projects and beneficiaries.
Adhikari also said the state had received approval for six Amrit Sarovar projects in Purulia and Bankura. The central water conservation programme was launched in 2022 and is intended to support the creation and improvement of water bodies. The two districts are identified in the announcement as drought-prone areas, linking the fisheries allocation with local water infrastructure and rural livelihood needs.
Union minister Singh assured the state that the Centre would provide assistance for developing the fisheries sector. He said West Bengal was the country’s second-largest fish producer and identified opportunities to develop the Sundarbans as a hub for black tiger shrimp and mud crab production.
The proposed focus on the Sundarbans places coastal production and fisheries livelihoods within a wider development programme for the state. However, the announcement did not provide details on the location of proposed shrimp or crab facilities, the investment required, environmental safeguards, or the expected implementation schedule.
Singh also said India had exported 500 tonnes of hilsa to Bangladesh this year, describing it as a reversal in the direction of trade. The statement did not provide the value of the exports, the source of the fish, or details of the trade arrangement.
The immediate next steps outlined by the state and Centre are the registration of eligible fishermen under PMMSY, assistance for ongoing and upcoming fisheries projects, and implementation of the six approved Amrit Sarovar projects in Purulia and Bankura.
