Fisheries sector is key for growth of country’s GDP, says Union Minister

Andhra Pradesh with its long coastline has enormous opportunities for the development of the sector, feels Kiren Rijiju

Union Minister for Earth Sciences Kiren Rijiju handing over devices for receiving information to fishermen at Machilipatnam in Krishna district on Friday. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Union Minister for Earth Sciences Kiren Rijiju said that the fisheries and aquaculture sector is going to play a key role in the growth of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

He said there are enormous opportunities for the development of the fisheries sector in Andhra Pradesh which has a long coastline.

Mr. Kiren Rijiju was speaking at the Mega Awareness Campaign on Ocean Information and Advisory Services organised by Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), Hyderabad in collaboration with M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) at Machilipatnam of Krishna district on Friday. It was the first of the five campaigns planned by INCOIS on the western and eastern coasts of the country under the Azadi Ka Amrit programme.

Mr. Kiren Rijiju said that India’s enormous coastline helps the fisheries sector which is a top sector that contributes to India’s GDP. Keeping this in mind Prime Minister Narendra Modi set a direction for development of India by 2047.

He further said that INCOIS has been disseminating key information such as ideal locations for fishing using indigenously developed technology to fishermen and boat owners who venture into the sea, which will help save a lot of fuel, manpower and time.

Earlier, information was sent to fishermen through information centres on seashores but now with the advancement of technology, information is passed on to fishermen, research organisations, Indian Navy, Coast Guards and others through smartphones, he said.

Minister for Housing Jogi Ramesh said the A.P. government is giving ₹10,000 financial aid to fishermen during the four-month fishing holiday. The State government is building eight fishing harbours in the State.

Machilipatnam MP Vallabhaneni Balashowry requested the Minister to set up a regional research institute for the fisheries sector in Machilipatnam.

Later, Mr. Kiren Rijiju distributed GEMINI devices, a portable receiver that can receive warnings, alerts and fishing locations, to fishermen and boat owners.

Cochin Shipyard representatives gave a presentation on deep-sea fishing.

MSRRF executive director G.N. Hariharan, INCOIS director T. Srinivas Kumar, Earth Sciences Ministry Joint Director Senthil Pandian, Krishna Collector P. Raja Babu and others were present.