The Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) completed six years on 10 September 2026, after its launch in 2020 to develop fisheries in a sustainable and responsible manner. The Department of Fisheries implements the scheme with a total outlay of ₹20,050 crore, and the Budget Estimates for 2026-27 provide a record ₹2,500 crore. Fish production, exports, cold chain capacity and employment have all touched new highs during this period.
What Is the PMMSY Scheme?
The Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) is the flagship scheme for sustainable development of fisheries in India. The full form expands to Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, where Matsya means fish and Sampada means wealth. It drives the Blue Revolution through responsible growth in production, infrastructure and fisher welfare.
PMMSY addresses critical gaps in fish production and productivity, quality, technology, post harvest infrastructure, value chain modernisation, traceability and fishers welfare. It supports fishers, fish farmers, fish workers, vendors, self help groups, cooperatives, entrepreneurs, private firms and Fish Farmers Producer Organisations (FFPOs). Special support is provided to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, women and differently abled persons. The vision is an ecologically healthy, economically viable and socially inclusive fisheries sector that improves food security and incomes.
When Was PMMSY Launched and Which Ministry Implements It?
The Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana was approved by the Union Cabinet on 20 May 2020 and launched on 10 September 2020. The Department of Fisheries under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying implements it across all States and Union Territories for holistic fisheries development.
The scheme was announced in the Union Budget for 2019-20 to fill critical gaps in production, quality, technology and post harvest care. The Cabinet approval placed it as part of the AatmaNirbhar Bharat package with the highest ever investment for fisheries at that time. The Prime Minister formally launched it digitally along with the e Gopala App and several fisheries projects in Bihar. Operational guidelines were issued on 24 June 2020 and are available on the websites of the Department of Fisheries and the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB).
PMMSY was first approved for five years from 2020-21 to 2024-25. The Department of Expenditure later agreed to continue it in its existing form, and official replies in 2026 state that it has been continued till September 2026. The National Fisheries Development Board, headquartered in Hyderabad and set up in 2006, supports training, awareness and capacity building under the scheme. A Central Apex Committee headed by the Secretary of the Department of Fisheries steers implementation, while district and state level committees approve and monitor local projects.
Is PMMSY a Central Sector or Centrally Sponsored Scheme?
PMMSY is an umbrella scheme with two parts, a Central Sector Scheme (CS) and a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS). In a Central Sector Scheme, the Union Government bears the full cost. In a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, the cost is shared between the Union and the States.
The total investment is ₹20,050 crore. This comprises a central share of ₹9,407 crore, a state share of ₹4,880 crore and a beneficiary contribution of ₹5,763 crore. Of this total, about ₹12,340 crore is marked for beneficiary oriented activities in marine, inland fisheries and aquaculture, while about ₹7,710 crore is marked for fisheries infrastructure. The Central Sector part has a provision of ₹1,720 crore with full central funding, and the Centrally Sponsored part has a provision of ₹18,330 crore.
For beneficiary oriented activities under the Centrally Sponsored part, government help is limited to 40 percent of the unit cost for the general category and 60 percent for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and women. This government help is then shared between the Centre and States in the ratio of 60 to 40 for most States, 90 to 10 for Northeastern and Himalayan States, and 100 percent central help for Union Territories. For non beneficiary works like harbours, landing centres, fish markets and quality labs, the full project cost is shared between the Centre and States in the same ratios. Support is given for hatcheries, new ponds, cages, seaweed culture, ornamental fisheries, cold storage, ice plants, feed mills, retail markets, fishing vessels, safety kits, vessel insurance and livelihood support during the fishing ban period.
Six Year Milestone: Outlay, Budget and Project Approvals
PMMSY completed six years with steadily rising budget support and approvals crossing the original investment size. The Department of Fisheries received the highest ever support of ₹2,500 crore in the Budget Estimates for 2026-27 under PMMSY. The allocation was ₹2,352 crore in 2024-25 and ₹2,465 crore in 2025-26 before reaching the record level in 2026-27.
As of 11 August 2026, the Department of Fisheries had approved fisheries and aquaculture proposals worth ₹21,394.88 crore with a central share of ₹9,510.89 crore for the period from 2020-21 to 2025-26. These approvals were based on proposals from States, Union Territories and other implementing agencies. A parliamentary reply in 2026 reported approvals of ₹21,461 crore with a central share of ₹9,571 crore over six years, of which ₹6,206 crore had been released. A separate release for March 2026 reported approvals of ₹21,274.16 crore with a central share of ₹9,189.79 crore during 2020-21 to 2024-25. Project proposals worth ₹5,740.89 crore were approved for post harvest infrastructure, including smart and integrated fishing harbours.
| PMMSY Finance Indicator | Figure |
|---|---|
| Total approved investment at launch | ₹20,050 crore |
| Central share, state share and beneficiary share | ₹9,407 crore, ₹4,880 crore and ₹5,763 crore |
| Budget Estimates 2024-25 | ₹2,352 crore |
| Budget Estimates 2025-26 | ₹2,465 crore |
| Budget Estimates 2026-27, highest ever | ₹2,500 crore |
| Total proposals approved as of August 2026 | ₹21,394.88 crore with central share ₹9,510.89 crore |
Record Fish Production, Exports and Jobs in Six Years
The Department of Fisheries reports that fish production rose from 141.64 lakh tonnes in 2019-20 to a record 197.75 lakh tonnes in 2024-25. This is a rise of nearly 40 percent in five years. India is now the second largest fish producer in the world and contributes nearly 8 percent of global fish production. Inland fisheries drove much of this growth, and aquaculture productivity improved from 3 tonnes per hectare to 4.7 tonnes per hectare. Per capita fish consumption also improved from 5 to 6 kg to 12 to 13 kg during the scheme period.
Fisheries exports increased from ₹46,663 crore in 2019-20 to ₹73,890 crore in 2025-26, supported by demand for shrimp, fish and value added products. The scheme created direct and indirect work for 58 lakh persons in fisheries and aquaculture activities, crossing the original target of 55 lakh jobs. Support for women beneficiaries covered 99,018 women with sanctions of ₹4,061.96 crore from 2020-21 to 2024-25. The NITI Aayog, the National Institution for Transforming India, evaluated PMMSY along with other Centrally Sponsored Schemes and recommended its continuation after noting its impact on the sector.
| Six Year Outcome | 2019-20 Base | Latest Level |
|---|---|---|
| Fish production | 141.64 lakh tonnes | 197.75 lakh tonnes in 2024-25 |
| Fisheries exports | ₹46,663 crore | ₹73,890 crore in 2025-26 |
| Employment created | Target of 55 lakh jobs | 58 lakh persons supported |
| Aquaculture productivity | 3 tonnes per hectare | 4.7 tonnes per hectare |
Blue Revolution Roots and the Blue Economy Push
The Blue Revolution refers to rapid growth in fisheries and aquaculture through modern inputs, infrastructure and better management of water resources. The Union Government launched the Blue Revolution scheme in 2015-16 with a central outlay of ₹3,000 crore for five years, with focus on raising fish output and productivity. PMMSY was designed to build on that base and fill remaining gaps in quality, technology, cold chain, traceability, credit, markets and welfare of fishers.
The Blue Economy means sustainable use of ocean and coastal resources for growth, jobs and food security while protecting marine ecosystems. Fisheries is a core part of this idea along with ports, shipping, coastal tourism and offshore energy. India has a coastline of about 8,118 km, an exclusive economic zone of more than 2.3 million sq km and vast inland water resources. By linking production, harbours, cold chains and exports, PMMSY positions fisheries as a sunrise sector that supports livelihoods for nearly 3 crore people and strengthens food and nutritional security.
Harbours, Cold Chains and Modern Aquaculture Technology
Post harvest losses were earlier estimated at 20 to 25 percent, and PMMSY set a target to bring them down to about 10 percent through cold chains and better handling. Approvals of ₹2,797 crore were given for cold chain and marketing infrastructure such as ice plants, cold storage units, refrigerated vehicles and retail markets. For fishing harbours and landing support, approvals covered 28 fishing harbour development or modernisation projects, 25 fish landing centres and 23 dredging works.
Modern production methods received major support. The scheme backed 12,081 Recirculatory Aquaculture System units and 4,205 Biofloc units. A Recirculatory Aquaculture System recycles water through filters and tanks so fish can be grown with less water and better disease control. Biofloc uses useful microbes to convert waste into feed inside the culture tank, which lowers feed cost. Support was also given for cage culture in reservoirs and the open sea, seaweed cultivation, ornamental fisheries, brood banks, hatcheries, feed mills, disease diagnostic labs and quality testing labs. Fish Farmers Producer Organisations were strengthened, with 2,195 FFPOs supported through projects worth ₹544.86 crore.
PM MKSSY Sub Scheme, NFDP Portal and How to Apply
The Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah Yojana (PM MKSSY) is a Central Sector sub scheme under PMMSY. It runs from 2023-24 to 2026-27 with an outlay of ₹6,000 crore. It supports formalisation of the sector, wider insurance cover, better access to institutional credit, quality assurance, traceability and help for micro and small fisheries enterprises.
The National Fisheries Digital Platform (NFDP) was launched on 11 September 2024 as a single window for scheme benefits. It creates work based digital identities for fishers, farmers, cooperatives and value chain actors and keeps a central database for credit, insurance, traceability and incentives. Registrations crossed 2.7 million by early September 2025. Applications under PMMSY move through the MIS portal at pmmsy.dof.gov.in, where beneficiaries prepare a Detailed Project Report and submit it to the district fisheries office. The portal supports registration, login, tracking of proposals and access to guidelines, forms and the scheme dashboard. The toll free helpline 1800-425-1660 provides further help on working days.
Key Takeaways
- The Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana completed six years on 10 September 2026 after its launch on 10 September 2020.
- The Department of Fisheries under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying implements PMMSY with a total outlay of ₹20,050 crore.
- PMMSY is an umbrella scheme with a Central Sector Scheme and a Centrally Sponsored Scheme sharing costs between the Centre, States and beneficiaries.
- Budget Estimates for 2026-27 gave a record ₹2,500 crore to PMMSY, up from ₹2,352 crore in 2024-25 and ₹2,465 crore in 2025-26.
- Fish production rose from 141.64 lakh tonnes in 2019-20 to 197.75 lakh tonnes in 2024-25, while exports grew to ₹73,890 crore and 58 lakh jobs were created.
- The PM MKSSY sub scheme with an outlay of ₹6,000 crore and the NFDP portal launched on 11 September 2024 support formalisation, credit and insurance for fishers.
