Union Fisheries Secretary Dr. Abhilaksh Likhi Reviews Munsiyari Coldwater Cluster and Interacts with Trout Farmers in Uttarakhand
Distilled Policy Brief
- Under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), the Government of India has invested over Rs. 2,299 crores in coldwater fisheries across Himalayan states and Union Territories, authorizing over 5,600 raceways and critical infrastructure.
- Uttarakhand's Munsiyari coldwater fisheries cluster, supported by 'Johar Matsya Autonomous Cooperative' and ICAR-DCFR, achieved a milestone by making its first international export of Rainbow Trout to Nepal in June 2026.
- Nationally, trout production has surged six-fold over the past decade to reach approximately 5,000 Metric Tonnes (MT) annually, bolstered by state initiatives like Uttarakhand's 'Trout Promotion Scheme' aiming for extensive infrastructure expansion by 2028-29.
🎯 Prelims High-Yield Examination Points
Pithoragarh district in Uttarakhand has been notified as a Coldwater Fisheries Cluster under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY). Coldwater aquaculture in India is primarily concentrated across six states and UTs: Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh.
⚖️ Mains Analytical & Syllabus Linkages
Analyze the role of coldwater aquaculture and cooperative societies in transforming traditional hill farming into sustainable commercial enterprises, enhancing border area economies, and boosting agricultural exports.
🎯 UPSC Prelims Practice Drill
With reference to the coldwater fisheries development in India and the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), consider the following statements: 1. Under PMMSY, the Government of India has invested over Rs. 2,299 crores in coldwater fisheries across designated Himalayan states and Union Territories. 2. Coldwater fisheries activities in India are exclusively concentrated in six hill states and Union Territories, namely Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh. 3. The Munsiyari coldwater fisheries cluster achieved a milestone by making its first international export of Rainbow Trout to Nepal. Which of the statements given above are correct?
- [A] 1 and 2 only
- [B] 2 and 3 only
- [C] 1 and 3 only
- [D] 1, 2 and 3
▶ Reveal Official Answer & Analytical Explanation
Statement 1 is correct because the Government of India has invested over Rs. 2,299 crores in coldwater fisheries across Himalayan states and UTs under the PMMSY. Statement 2 is incorrect as the text states that activities are 'chiefly' (मुख्य रूप से) concentrated in those six states/UTs, but does not use the word 'exclusively'. Statement 3 is correct as the Munsiyari cluster supported by local cooperatives achieved its first international export of Rainbow Trout to Nepal.
🏛️ Historical Twin PYQ Anchor (2021)
Consider the following statements regarding the "National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)": 1. It is implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. 2. Central Pollution Control Board acts as the sole regulatory executive body.