Centre Sanctions ₹21,274 Cr Under PMMSY in 5 Years; Assam Gets ₹541 Cr Allocation

The Union Government has sanctioned fisheries development projects worth a massive ₹21,274.16 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) in the past five years, with the Centre’s share pegged at ₹9,189.79 crore. The data was revealed in a written reply by Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, George Kurian, to a question tabled in the Rajya Sabha by Assam MP Bhubaneswar Kalita and other members.

According to the Ministry, these approvals—spanning the period from 2020-21 to 2024-25—cover infrastructure expansion, modernisation of aquaculture, post-harvest management, and the creation of new market linkages across the country. Of the sanctioned central share, ₹5,587.56 crore has already been released, amounting to around 60.8 per cent of the approved allocation.

Assam’s Share and Progress

Assam has emerged among the significant beneficiaries, securing project approvals worth ₹541.62 crore. The approved central share for the State stands at ₹298.44 crore, of which ₹187.60 crore—about 63 per cent—has been released so far. The Ministry said the funding is intended to boost fish production, improve cold chain facilities, generate rural employment and strengthen the livelihoods of fish farmers.

Integrated Aqua-Parks: Assam in the List

A major feature of PMMSY’s infrastructure push is the development of Integrated Aqua-Parks, envisioned as one-stop hubs for the entire aquaculture value chain—from seed and feed supply to farming, processing, cold storage, and organised marketing. These parks are expected to reduce post-harvest losses, enable value addition, and increase farmers’ incomes through cluster-based efficiency.

In the last five years, 11 such parks have been sanctioned across different States, at a combined cost of ₹682.60 crore with ₹459.18 crore from the Centre. Assam’s own Aqua-Park has been approved at a cost of ₹32.97 crore, with the Centre contributing ₹29.67 crore.

The other States in line for Aqua-Parks include Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Nagaland, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, and Uttarakhand. Among these, Tamil Nadu has received the largest project cost approval—₹127.71 crore.

National Allocation Snapshot

Andhra Pradesh tops the list of beneficiaries under PMMSY, with projects worth ₹2,405.53 crore and a central share of ₹563.31 crore—over 76 per cent of which has already been released. Kerala follows with ₹1,347.55 crore in approvals and Maharashtra with ₹1,472.64 crore. Other major allocations have gone to Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, and Karnataka.

Several smaller States and Union Territories, including Goa, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh, have achieved high release rates, in some cases exceeding 85 per cent of their approved central share. In contrast, certain entries—such as Daman & Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli—show less than 2 per cent fund release, raising questions over project implementation.

The Bigger Picture

Minister George Kurian told the House that PMMSY is aimed at transforming India’s fisheries sector into a modern, sustainable and export-oriented industry, contributing to nutritional security and employment. The scheme, launched in 2020, is designed to support States and Union Territories through both Central and State share funding, covering the entire value chain from production to marketing.

For Assam, the substantial allocations signal continued central backing for fisheries infrastructure—an area with high potential for rural income generation and nutritional improvement. The challenge now lies in ensuring timely implementation, efficient utilisation of funds, and transparent monitoring so that the numbers on paper translate into real gains for fishing communities.

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