Blue Revolution, the Neel Kranti Mission has the vision to achieve economic prosperity of the country and the fishers and fish farmers as well as contribute towards food and nutritional security through full potential utilization of water resources for fisheries development in a sustainable manner, keeping in view the bio-security and environmental concerns.

Vision
Creating an enabling environment for integrated development of the full potential of fisheries of the country, alongwith substantially improvement in the income status of fishers and fish farmers keeping in view the sustainability, bio-security and environmental concerns.

Objectives

• To fully tap the total fish potential of the country both in the inland and the marine sector and triple the production by 2020.
• To transform the fisheries sector as a modern industry with special focus on new technologies and processes
• To double the income of the fishers and fish farmers with special focus on increasing productivity and better marketing postharvest infrastructure including e-commerce and other technologies and global best innovations
• To ensure inclusive participation of the fishers and fish farmers in the income enhancement
• To triple the export earnings by 2020 with focus on benefits flow to the fishers and fish farmers including through institutional mechanisms in the cooperative, producer companies and other structures
• To enhance food and nutritional security of the country

Duration and outlay

• The restructured Plan Scheme on Blue Revolution - Integrated Development and Management of Fisheries has been approved at a total central outlay of Rs 3000 crore for implementation during a period of five years (2015-16 to 2019-20).

Components

• The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying & Fisheries has restructured the scheme by merging all the ongoing schemes under an umbrella of Blue Revolution.
• The restructured scheme provides focused development and management of fisheries, covering inland fisheries, aquaculture, marine fisheries including deep sea fishing, mariculture and all activities undertaken by the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB).

The Blue Revolution scheme has the following components:

• National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) and its activities
• Development of Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture
• Development of Marine Fisheries, Infrastructure and Post-Harvest Operations
• Strengthening of Database & Geographical Information System of the Fisheries Sector
• Institutional Arrangement for Fisheries Sector
• Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) and other need-based Interventions
• National Scheme of Welfare of Fishermen
• Central Financial Assistance
• Broad patterns of Central funding for new projects under four components viz (a) National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) and its activities, (b) Development of Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture, (c) Development of Marine Fisheries, Infrastructure and Post- Harvest Operations and (d) National Scheme of Welfare of Fishermen are as below:
• 50% of the project/unit cost for general States, leaving the rest to State agencies/organisations, corporations, federations, boards, Fishers cooperatives, private entrepreneurs, individual beneficiaries.
• 80% of the project/unit cost for North-Eastern/Hilly States leaving the rest to State agencies/Organizations, Cooperatives, individual beneficiaries etc.
• 100% for projects directly implemented by the Government of India through its institutes/organisations and Union Territories.
• Projects under the remaining three components scheme namely (i) Strengthening of Database & Geographical Information System of the Fisheries Sector, (ii) Institutional Arrangement for the Fisheries Sector and (iii) Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) and other need-based interventions shall be implemented with 100% central funding.
• Individual beneficiaries, entrepreneurs and cooperatives/collectives of the Union Territories shall also be provided Central financial assistance at par and equal to such beneficiaries in General States.

Implementation agencies
The scheme would be implemented through the following agencies:

• Central Government, Central Government Institutes/Agencies, NFDB, ICAR Institutes etc.
• State Governments and Union Territories
• State Government Agencies, Organisations, Corporations, Federations, Boards, Panchayats and Local Urban Bodies
• Fishers Cooperatives/Registered Fishers Bodies
• Individual beneficiaries/fishers, Entrepreneurs, Scheduled Castes(SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) Groups, Women and their Co-operatives, SHG’s and Fish Farmers and miscellaneous Fishermen Bodies

Current Profile of Fishery Sector in India

India is the 2nd largest fishery producer in the world after China but the gap between this two countries is huge. According to recent stats, India annual fishery production is around 10 million ton ( inland fishery accounted 5.6 million ton and the marine fishery is about 3.4 million ton) and China manages its production is about 60 million ton.

What is Fisheries Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF)?The government of India is planning to set up Fisheries Infrastructure Development Fund in which farmers and entertainer in this sector will provide the loan in a low-interest rate. Following highlighting points of FIDF

1. Finance will be provided at 6% rate of interest for the infrastructure project.
2. The repayment period will be 12 years.
3. 7500 crores of the fund are set up for this scheme.
4. Target to achieve 15 million ton fishery production by 2020.