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In a bid to boost the fisheries sector, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her Budget speech on Thursday announced setting up five integrated aquaparks.
While presenting the interim Budget 2024-25 in Parliament today, the Minister said, "It was our Government that set up a separate Department for Fisheries realizing the importance of assisting fishermen. This has resulted in doubling of both inland and aquaculture production." The Minister highlighted that India's seafood exports since 2013-14 have also doubled. The Minister announced that the implementation of Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) will be stepped up to enhance aquaculture productivity from the existing three to five tons per hectare; double exports to Rs 1 lakh crore; generate 55 lakh employment opportunities in the near future. Blue Economy 2.0: The Minister announced that for promoting climate resilient activities for blue economy 2.0, a scheme for restoration and adaptation measures, and coastal aquaculture and mariculture with integrated and multi-sectoral approach will be launched. Dairy Development: The Minister also announced that a comprehensive programme for supporting dairy farmers will be formulated. She stated that efforts are already on to control foot and mouth disease. "India is the world's largest milk producer but with low productivity of milch-animals." The programme will be built on the success of existing schemes such as Rashtriya Gokul Mission, National Livestock Mission, and Infrastructure Development Funds for dairy processing and animal husbandry, she added. The central government also announced a slew of measures for the promotion of green growth and renewable energy while tabling the Interim Budget 2024-2025 in Parliament on Thursday. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her Budget speech today, said that through rooftop solarization, one crore households will be enabled to obtain up to 300 units of free electricity every month. This scheme followed the resolve of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the historic Pran Pratishta of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. According to the government, the benefits expected from this solarisation are savings up to Rs 15,000-18,000 crore annually for households from free solar electricity and selling the surplus to the distribution companies; charging of electric vehicles; entrepreneurship opportunities for a large number of vendors for supply and installation; and employment opportunities for the youth with technical skills in manufacturing, installation and maintenance. (ANI)
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