Union fisheries minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh and CM Suvendu Adhikari at a meeting in Kolkata on Monday
Kolkata: Centre has approved Rs 9 crore for developing Bengal’s fisheries sector, CM Suvendu Adhikari said on Monday after a meeting with Union fisheries and animal husbandry minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh in the city. All fishermen in Bengal will now come under Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) and registration of 1.2 lakh fishermen has been completed out of 2.8 lakh applications, the CM said. “The Union minister handed over Rs 9 crore for development in the fisheries sector. There are immense opportunities to make Sundarbans a hub for black tiger shrimp and mud crab production,” he said, adding that in a reversal of trade, India has exported 500 tonnes of hilsa to Bangladesh this year.
We discussed in detail about loan assistance to fishermen, bringing all fishermen under PMMSY, fast completion of ongoing projects and work on upcoming projects,” Adhikari said. On his part, Singh assured that Centre would provide all assistance in developing the sector in the state. “Bengal holds the second position in fish production in the country.