Shri. Parshottam Rupala, Honorable Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Govt. of India launched the two flagship programmes viz. National Surveillance Programme on Fish Diseases (NSPAAD) – Phase-II and Genetic Improvement Programme (GIPPI) of Indian White Shrimp (Penaeus indicus) in the presence of several dignitaries, researchers, officials, farmers, industry representatives, press and media. He also launched an aquaculture insurance product brought out by CIBA and laid the foundation stone for the Genetic Improvement Facility on 27.02.2023 at ICAR-CIBA campus, Chennai. In his address the minister expressed his happiness in launching the NSPAAD and GIPPI programmes both are important for the development and sustainability of aquaculture sector which eventually lead to Blue Revolution in India. He congratulated ICAR-CIBA and NBFGR for the projects and underlined the responsibilities associated with the programmes. He sought the active support of the farmers, fishers, industry, researchers’ development departments and other stakeholders to accomplish the holistic development of the fisheries sector and achieving the planned targets.
Dr. L. Murugan, Hon’ble Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying & Information Broadcasting, Govt. of India who is the guest of honour in his speech gave a detailed account of various initiatives undertaken by the Govt. of India for the fisheries development in the country which are culminated in increased fisheries production of 16.50 million metric tonnes. He highlighted the start-up India and entrepreneurship development in fisheries among the educated youth is being promoted. A sub plan under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) Rs.6000 crore has been earmarked this year mainly for the digitization of fisheries sector he stated. Further, the import duty on the fish feed ingredients has been reduced from 15% to 5% recently and the Kisan Credit Card facility has been extended to fishers and fish farmers to facilitate easy access to institutional credit he announced.
Shri. Jatindra Nath Swain, IAS, the Secretary, Department of Fisheries, Government of India articulated that two landmark schemes, the NSPAAD phase-II and GIPPI are launched today at CIBA. Development of National Information System on Aquatic Diseases and trained ‘disease diagnostic personnel’ with the involvement of state departments to report the emerging diseases and provide advisories to the farmers are the aims of NSPAAD and Rs.33.80 crores has been sanctioned for the same. Similarly Genetic Improvement programme for Indian white shrimp is important to minimise the dependence of exotic shrimp broodstock and Rs.25 crores has been sanctioned for the same to ICAR-CIBA, Chennai.
Dr.J.K.Jena in his welcome address expressed his acknowledgment and thankfulness to the Department of Fisheries, Government of India for supporting the NSPAAD and GIPPI. Aquatic diseases are the major production threat in aquaculture and the is aimed at strengthening farmer-based disease surveillance system, so that disease cases are reported at once, investigated and scientific support is provided to the farmers he emphasized.
Dr. J. Balaji, Joint Secretary, Department of Fisheries, Government of India in his address mentioned that management of diseases and species diversification are the two key aspects for the sustainability of aquaculture. He stressed that engagement of state fisheries departments is important to build an “active surveillance” programme.
Shri. A. Karthik, IAS, Principal Secretary, Fisheries Department, Govt. of Tamil Nadu congratulated the CIBA scientists in unraveling the full genome sequence of P. indicus shrimp which facilitated the genetic improvement programme on the species.
Video clippings and special publications on NSPAAD and GIPPI were also screened during the programme. Broader Memorandums of Understanding were also inked with industry partners Viz., Ms. Vaishaki Shrimp Hatcheries, Mayank Aquaculture, Gujarat and Ms. A.R. Shrimp Hatcheries, Tamil Nadu for partnership in taking forward the GIPPI and upscaling of P. indicus progamme. Dr. Kuldeep K. Lal, Director, ICAR-Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture, Chennai along with his team of scientists and staff coordinated the event. Dr. U. K. Sarkar, Director, ICAR-National Bureau of Fish Genetic resources, Lucknow proposed the vote of thanks at the end.
