Aiming for 22 mn tonnes of fish production: Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan

Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Rajiv Ranjan Singh on Saturday said the government aims to increase fish production from 17.5 million tonnes to 22 million tonnes.

The Union Minister chaired the 11th Annual General Meeting of Governing Body of National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) here.

"At the NFDB Governing Body meeting today there was discussion on increasing fish production from the (current) 17.5 million tonnes to 22 million tonnes...by focussing on technology, investment and innovation. We will make strategy on it and work to achieve the target (22 million tonnes)," Rajiv Ranjan Singh told PTI Videos.

Meanwhile, Rajiv Ranjan Singh along with Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying S P Singh Baghel and NITI Aayog Member Prof Ramesh Chand inaugurated the Fisheries Startup Conclave 2.0 here on Saturday, an official release said.

The 'Fisheries Startup Grand Challenge 2.0' launched as part of the Fisheries Startup Conclave 2.0 to support startups in manufacturing and related areas will extend support to 10 winning startups with Rs 1 crore in funding, it said.

The Department of Fisheries organised the Startup Conclave 2.0 to promote innovation in the fisheries sector, it said.

As part of this initiative, the Fisheries Startup Grand Challenge 2.0 was launched to support startups in manufacturing and related areas.

The programme aims to foster entrepreneurship, technological advancements, and sustainability in fisheries and aquaculture, enhancing production and efficiency, it said.

"Through the Fisheries Startup Grand Challenge 2.0, support will be extended to 10 winning startups with Rs 1 crore in funding. Each winning proposal will receive structured incubation support from ICAR (ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Technology), (National Fisheries Development Board) NFDB, or other affiliated institutions under the Department of Fisheries," it said.

These incubators will play a crucial role in mentoring startups, offering capacity-building programmes, and providing access to manufacturing infrastructure to help them scale their solutions effectively, the release said.

The Department of Fisheries in a post on 'X' said Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, who addressed the Startup Conclave 2.0, emphasized that startups play a crucial role in generating employment, especially for the youth, and assured that the Government of India is committed to supporting and fostering them.

Rajiv Ranjan Singh also officially launched the NFDB Mobile App, which aims to empower fishers, entrepreneurs and stakeholders with real-time information, resources and support, fostering growth and innovation in the fisheries sector, it added.