22-04-2025
Fisherfolk in state get farm status, eligible for benefits
Mumbai: The state cabinet on Tuesday decided to grant the fisheries sector the same status as agriculture. This move, a significant one which comes ahead of local body polls, will entitle 4.8 lakh fishermen in the state to the infrastructure and benefits currently available to the state's farmers, according to fisheries minister Nitesh Rane.
The benefits include disaster compensation, electricity subsidies, loan waiver schemes, and the Kisan credit card. The govt has cleared a sum of Rs 69 crore towards electricity subsidies for fishermen. Maharashtra ranks 6th in the country in marine fish production and 17th in inland fishing. "This is the blue revolution. It will improve Maharashtra's fish production and bring it to the top three in the country. It will benefit the rural economy and create jobs," Rane said. "Maharashtra is the only state to give agriculture status to the fisheries sector. Other states have given concessions and benefits to the fisheries sector but they didn't give it agriculture status," he added.
Except for the processing industry, all other sectors in the fishing industry are expected to benefit from the decision. Ice factories for fish will also receive subsidies.
Rane mentioned that states which provided subsidies and benefits to the fisheries sector reported a rise in fish production. "Output rose by 59.3% in Andhra Pradesh, 32% in Chhattisgarh, 49.5% in Jharkhand, and 103% in Karnataka," he said.
Rane also stated that fishermen would be entitled to the Namo Shetkari Krishi Sanman Nidhi, through which the state provides Rs 6,000 a year to farmers to match the same amount in the PM Kisan Yojana.
The state has a 720 km coastline. Additionally, there are water resources spread over 4 lakh hectares, including reservoirs, lakes, zilla parishad lakes, and Malgujari lakes of the irrigation department. There are also more than 2.5 lakh farm ponds.
When asked how the state would identify fishermen entitled to the scheme as they do not have land in their name like farmers, Rane said, "There are ways of identifying them. For instance, biometrics or membership of cooperative societies."
