States » EastPosted at: Sep 20 2026 5:37PM


Centre, West Bengal to review fisheries sector roadmap

New Delhi, Sep 20 (UNI) The Centre and West Bengal government will hold an apex-level review meeting on Monday to assess the implementation of fisheries and aquaculture schemes in the state and chalk out a roadmap for tapping its untapped potential in the sector.
Union Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh and West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari will co-chair the meeting in Kolkata, which is being organised by the Department of Fisheries, Government of India, after more than a decade.
West Bengal Minister of State (Independent Charge), Department of Animal Resources Development and Fisheries, Rajesh Mahata, will also be present at the meeting.
The deliberations will focus on enhancing fish production, expanding aquaculture, strengthening market linkages and developing the fisheries value chain, besides promoting technology adoption, infrastructure development, institutional support and investment in the sector.
Officials from the union and state fisheries departments, National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB), ICAR institutes, National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources (NBFGR), Central Institute of Fisheries Education (CIFE), NABARD, National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC), Coastal Aquaculture Authority (CAA), Export Inspection Council (EIC), Indian Coast Guard and Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) are expected to participate.
Presentations by the Centre and West Bengal will be followed by discussions with research, regulatory and financial institutions. The meeting will also see the handing over of administrative approval for Integrated Reservoir Development in West Bengal.
According to the Department of Fisheries, West Bengal is the country's second-largest fish-producing state and recorded 25.43 lakh tonnes of fish production in 2025-26.
The state has received investments of about Rs 617 crore under various fisheries schemes, aimed at strengthening production technologies, post-harvest infrastructure, processing and capacity building. The initiatives have supported livelihood opportunities for more than 30 lakh people associated with the fisheries sector, the department said.
The Centre has also notified 34 fisheries production and processing clusters across the country, including a dry fish cluster in Purba Medinipur in West Bengal.
The review will also examine measures to strengthen Fisheries Farmer Producer Organisations (FFPOs) and fisheries cooperatives, besides expanding digitisation initiatives across the sector.
The Centre and the state are expected to identify priority interventions and improve convergence in the implementation of flagship fisheries schemes. Discussions will also cover ornamental fisheries, fish production and productivity, post-harvest infrastructure, market access and investment across the value chain.
The meeting is aimed at strengthening Centre-State cooperation and promoting technology-driven and sustainable development of fisheries and aquaculture, with a focus on improving fishers' livelihoods and building a resilient and globally competitive fisheries ecosystem in West Bengal. UNI PWS NST SAS
Tags: #Centre# West Bengal to review fisheries sector roadmap
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