Srinagar, Feb 12: The government has allocated rupees 38.6 crore in financial aid over five years to support fishing families in Jammu and Kashmir to help them cope up with financial hardships faced by the community during seasonal fishing bans.
As per the data available with Rising Kashmir, under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), financial assistance worth 38.6 crore has been provided to 81,968 fisher families in J&K from 2020 to 2025.
The scheme, a central government initiative, is aimed at supporting fishermen and promoting sustainable fishing practices.
Fishing bans in J&K are imposed during breeding seasons to maintain ecological balance and ensure sustainable fishery resources which typically occur in the harsh winter months, when many water bodies freeze, making fishing nearly impossible. Restrictions are placed on fishing during spawning seasons to allow fish populations to recover.
Since a large section of J&K’s fishermen depend solely on fishing for their livelihood, the government provides ₹4,500 per fisher family during the three-month ban period, disbursed as ₹1,500 per month. Given that J&K is a Union Territory, the central government fully funds this assistance, unlike in general states where the financial burden is shared between the state and Centre.
Over the last five years, thousands of fishermen in J&K have benefited from this scheme. In 2020-21, a total of 17,396 fisher families received ₹7.82 crore, with ₹5.21 crore contributed by the Centre. The following year, 16,286 families were provided with ₹7.32 crore, including ₹4.88 crore in central funds.
The same number of beneficiaries received ₹7.32 crore in 2022-23, with ₹4.88 crore as the Centre’s share. In 2023-24, 14,500 families were given ₹6.52 crore, of which ₹4.35 crore was from the central government. In the current financial year (2024-25), the number of beneficiaries has risen to 17,500 families, receiving ₹7.87 crore, with ₹5.25 crore contributed by the Centre.
Apart from direct financial aid, PMMSY has introduced major infrastructure developments to improve fish production, storage, and marketing in J&K. Over the past five years, the government has provided 1,708 fish transport units, including refrigerated and insulated vehicles along with two-wheelers and three-wheelers, to help fishermen reach markets efficiently.
Fifty-two cold storage and ice plants have also been set up across J&K to reduce fish spoilage and increase earnings for fishermen. The scheme has also supported the establishment of 90 fish kiosks, giving small-scale sellers a direct connection to consumers.
