Bhubaneswar: Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying, Shri Parshottam Rupala, accompanied by MoS Dr. L Murugan, is set to take part in the Sagar Parikrama Phase-XI event scheduled from January 7th to 9th, 2024, across various locations in Odisha. The Union Minister will extend felicitations to Kisan Credit Card (KCC) beneficiaries, including progressive fishermen, coastal fishermen, fish farmers, and young fisheries entrepreneurs during the event.
The Sagar Parikrama Phase-XI will encompass the coastal districts of Odisha, including Ganjam, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak, and Balasore. The event will witness the dissemination of best practices and initiatives undertaken through the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) scheme, KCC, and other related schemes to the fishing community.
Senior officials from the Department of Fisheries, Government of India, Government of Odisha, National Fisheries Development Board, Indian Coast Guard, Fishery Survey of India, fishermen associations, and other dignitaries are expected to grace the occasion.
Sagar Parikrama Yatra comprises review meetings and interactions with fishermen, fish farmers, and relevant stakeholders. Campaigns on KCC and other activities will be conducted across the coastal districts of Odisha. The participants include state fisheries officials, fishermen representatives, fish farmers, entrepreneurs, fishermen cooperative society leaders, professionals, scientists, and stakeholders from across the nation.
Odisha boasts abundant and diversified water resources, including 480 km of coastline, 24,000 km² of continental shelf area, and a 0.017 million km² Exclusive Economic Zone. The aquatic biodiversity and fish wealth of the state support over 16 lakh fisherfolk and various related activities like commercial fishing and aquaculture.
The Sagar Parikrama initiative, initiated from Mandvi, Gujarat on March 5, 2022, has covered ten phases across coastal states/UTs, including Gujarat, Daman & Diu, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Andaman & Nicobar, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Puducherry.
Sagar Parikrama aims to improve the quality of life and economic well-being of coastal communities by addressing their difficulties directly. It serves as a valuable platform for fishermen to engage with government authorities at their doorstep, fostering continuous support and resolution of issues through various fisheries schemes like Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) and Kisan Credit Card (KCC) implemented by the Government of India.
The fisheries sector, considered a sunrise sector, holds immense potential for equitable and inclusive growth by empowering the weaker sections of society. India, with an 8% share in global fish production, ranks as the 3rd largest fish producer, 2nd largest aquaculture producer, the largest shrimp producer, and the 4th largest seafood exporter globally. Sagar Parikrama remains committed to facilitating interactions, disseminating information, and understanding the challenges faced by fishermen and coastal communities to support their economic upliftment.