Bengal govt failed to implement fisheries scheme for two years: Centre

'Out of the sanctioned amount, just ₹58.51 crore has been spent by the West Bengal government so far,' Union Minister for Fisheries Rajiv Ranjan Singh said

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The West Bengal government did not implement the PMMSY central scheme for fisheries for two years and has spent only Rs 58.51 crore of the sanctioned amount, Union Minister for Fisheries Rajiv Ranjan Singh informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

The Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) was launched by the Union Ministry of Fisheries to bring about ecologically healthy, economically viable and socially inclusive development of the fisheries sector of India.

For two years after the scheme was launched in 2020-21, the West Bengal government did not cooperate with the Central government in implementing it, the minister said. In 2022-23, the West Bengal government accepted it and sent proposals of Rs 221 crore. Of this, Rs 114 crore proposals were approved by the Central government.

"Out of the sanctioned amount, just Rs 58.51 crore has been spent by the West Bengal government so far," Singh said.

The minister said it is very difficult to implement any programme if a state government does not cooperate with the Central government.

"I personally visited West Bengal for review of the scheme. Only lower ranks officers of the state government attended the meeting and they had very little knowledge about the scheme," he said.

The PMMSY aims to bring about a 'Blue Revolution' through sustainable and responsible development of the fisheries sector in India at a total investment of Rs 20,050 crore for holistic development of the fisheries sector.

The PMMSY has been implemented in all the states and Union Territories for a period of five years from FY 2020-21 to FY 2024-25.