Kisan Credit Card in fisheries sector to help fishermen meet working capital requirement: Centre

The government on Friday said the facility of Kisan Credit Card (KCC) in the fisheries sector will help fishermen and farmers in meeting their working capital requirement.

The department of fisheries under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying organised a webinar on 'Nation-Wide Campaign on Kisan Credit Card (KCC) for Fisheries Sector' on Thursday, an official statement said.

The event was presided over by Jatindra Nath Swain, Secretary, Department of Fisheries (DoF), and attended by more than 400 participants.

In his inaugural address, Swain highlighted the background and diversity of the fisheries sector.

He said the facility of KCC in the fisheries sector is an attempt to help the fishers and farmers to meet their working capital needs. It is aimed at providing adequate and timely credit support to all the farmers.

Swain said the campaign is currently being organised from November 15 to February 15, 2022.

He requested states/UTs to regularly monitor the progress of saturation of eligible fishers and fish farmers under KCC and take follow up action with the concerned banks for removing shortcomings and ensuring early sanction of KCCs.

Sagar Mehra, Joint Secretary (Inland Fisheries), said the department has been making efforts to encourage, and expand aquaculture and fisheries in both inland and marine sectors in India.

The extension of the KCC facility aims to expand the access to institutional credit facilities to achieve socio-economic transformation of the lives of fish farmers and fishermen, the statement said.