Sri Vijaya Puram, July 1: Raising concerns over the prolonged non-implementation of a Government of India decision aimed at extending agriculture-equivalent benefits to the fisheries sector, Andaman and Nicobar Member of Parliament Bishnu Pada Ray has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, seeking immediate intervention to ensure subsidy benefits reach thousands of fishermen and aquaculture farmers in the Islands.
In a representation dated June 30, the Member of Parliament alleged that despite the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying issuing a communication on June 28, 2024, requesting States and Union Territories to examine extending agriculture-equivalent facilities to the fisheries and aquaculture sector, the Andaman and Nicobar Administration has not implemented the proposal even after more than two years. According to the letter, the delay has deprived stakeholders of concessions on electricity tariffs, water supply connections, diesel subsidies and other welfare measures available to the agriculture sector.
The representation stated that the issue concerns the livelihood of thousands of fishermen, fish farmers, fisheries cooperatives and other stakeholders engaged in the fisheries and aquaculture sector across the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It contended that the prolonged delay has resulted in continued financial hardship for the sector despite the Centre’s policy initiative.
According to the letter, fishermen’s organisations have repeatedly approached the Union Territory Administration seeking implementation of the Government of India’s decision. It further noted that several rounds of correspondence have reportedly taken place between the Fisheries and Electricity Departments, but no final decision has been taken so far.
The Member of Parliament argued that the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, being a Union Territory without a Legislative Assembly, require policy decisions involving financial implications to receive approval from the Ministry of Home Affairs and other competent Central Government authorities. The letter maintained that this administrative framework should not become a reason for delaying implementation of a welfare measure already envisaged by the Government of India.
The representation highlighted that fisheries remain one of the principal sources of livelihood in the Islands and contribute significantly to employment generation, nutritional security and the local economy. However, unlike agriculture, the fisheries and aquaculture sector continues to bear higher operational costs for electricity, water and diesel, affecting the economic viability and sustainability of fishing and aquaculture activities, the letter stated.
Seeking intervention from the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister, the Member of Parliament requested that necessary directions be issued to the Andaman and Nicobar Administration to implement the Centre’s decision in both letter and spirit. The representation specifically called for extending subsidised electricity tariffs, water supply connections, diesel subsidies and all other admissible agriculture-equivalent benefits to the fisheries and aquaculture sector.
The letter stated that an early decision would provide substantial relief to thousands of fishermen and aquaculture farmers while strengthening one of the Islands’ most important livelihood sectors in line with the Government of India’s vision for fisheries development. Copies of the representation were also forwarded to the Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, the Chief Secretary of the Andaman and Nicobar Administration, the President of the Fishermen Welfare Association and the Convener of the BJP Fishermen Cell in the Islands.
