Centre agrees to provide ₹67 crore for development of fishing harbour at Mahe

Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Rajiv Ranjan Singh launching the fisheries infrastructure project under PMMSY at an event held in Puducherry on Tuesday. S.P. Singh Baghel, Minister of State for Fisheries, Lt. Governor K. Kailashnathan, Chief Minister N. Rangasamy and Home Minister A. Namassivayam, are also seen in the picture. | Photo Credit: S.S. Kumar The Central Government will provide funds to the tune of ₹67 crore for the development of a fishing harbour in the Mahe region, Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Rajiv Ranjan Singh said.Inaugurating a slew of initiatives aimed at improving the livelihood of the fishing community in the Puducherry and Karaikal regions of the Union Territory, the Minister said the fishing harbour at the Union Territory’s enclave of Mahe will be developed through Central assistance. “I request the Puducherry government to submit a proposal for the development of the fishing harbour at the earliest. The Centre will provide a sum of ₹67 crore for the project,” he said.The Minister was here to launch fisheries infrastructure projects, including an upgrade of Thengaithittu Fishing Harbour, the establishment of a state-of-the-art Fish Landing Centre at Nallavadu and the Advanced Centre for Innovation and Capacity Development for seaweed farming in Karaikal. In his address, the Union Minister said the infrastructure projects taken up under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana would become a major asset in strengthening the fishing community. They would promote systematic auction, reduce post-harvest losses, encourage women-led seaweed enterprises and generate local employment, he said.The initiatives taken by the Central government have laid a strong foundation for the growth of the fisheries sector in the country. Production of fish, which was only around 95.7 lakh tonnes in 2013-15, has gone up to 197.7 lakh tonnes in 2024-25. Not only has production increased, but the country’s fish exports have also more than doubled. In 2013-14, fish exports were valued at around ₹30,212 crore, and the value has increased to ₹62,400 crore in 2024-25, the Minister said.Surge in exports“Then came the 58 per cent tariff imposed by the United States. To offset the tariff challenge then, the Central government initiated several programmes. The joint efforts of our fishermen and exporters have ensured that our exports did not decline but increased to ₹73,890 crore in 2025-26,” the Minister said.Considering the potential of the sector, the Centre has issued guidelines for fishing in India’s Exclusive Economic Zone and the high seas. The Centre has decided to increase the financial assistance given to fishermen for procuring trawlers for deep-sea fishing as part of the EEZ initiative, he said.“From acquiring large vessels to undertaking high-sea fishing, on-board handling and establishing market linkages, fishermen should make efforts to integrate themselves with the entire value chain. The Central government was committed towards strengthening the livelihood of fishermen in the Union Territory,” he said.Union Minister of State for Fisheries S. P. Singh Baghel, Lieutenant Governor K. Kailashnathan, Chief Minister N. Rangasamy, Home Minister A. Namassivayam, Pro-tem Speaker A. Anbalagan, Chief Secretary Sharat Chauhan and legislators participated in the programme. Published - September 01, 2026 09:26 pm IST