Hon'ble Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying and Panchayati Raj chaired the 13th Governing Body Meeting of NFDB in Hyderabad. Several state ministers were present.
On November 6, 2026, the Union Minister, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying and Panchayati Raj, Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, chaired the 13th Governing Body Meeting of the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) at Padma Shri Dr. Ayyappan Conference Hall, NFDB, Hyderabad. The meeting was attended by several state ministers including Shri Vakiti Srihari, Minister for Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fisheries, Government of Telangana; Shri Gabriel Denwang Wangsu, Minister for Fisheries, Government of Arunachal Pradesh; and Shri Sudhangshu Das, Minister for Fisheries, Government of Tripura. Representatives from the State/UT Fisheries Department and 13 Non-official members of the NFDB Governing Body were also present.
In the meeting, Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh emphasized the need for NFDB to strengthen its role as a proactive development institution with greater last-mile outreach to fish farmers and closer coordination with States and UTs. He also directed focused support to North-Eastern and inland States to bridge production, supply, and consumption gaps and move towards self-sufficiency.
Dr. Abhilaksh Likhi, Secretary (Fisheries), Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, highlighted the efforts of the department and states in expanding aquaculture and strengthening seafood exports, presently valued at around ₹70,000 crore. He called for greater private investment and entrepreneurship through cooperatives, Fish Farmer Producer Organisations (FFPOs), start-ups, and private entrepreneurs.
The State Fisheries Ministers highlighted the need for strengthening fisheries infrastructure and sought continued Central support for the establishment of fish markets and Integrated Aqua Parks. They also emphasized greater convergence between Fisheries and Rural Development programmes for productive utilization of Amrit Sarovars, reservoirs, and other water bodies for fisheries development.
Source:
Press Information Bureau
