Govt to strengthen fisheries and animal husbandry sectors
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New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s Budget 2026-2027 speech on Sunday reflected the Centre’s push to strengthen the fisheries sector and a robust support for animal husbandry in rural and peri-urban areas to spur farm sector growth.
India's fisheries and animal husbandry sectors are vital pillars of rural livelihoods and national food security, contributing significantly to the agricultural GDP and employment.
As part of increasing farmers’ income, the Budget includes provisions for the integrated development of 500 reservoirs and ‘Amrit Sarovars’. This is aimed at strengthening the fisheries value chain in coastal areas and enabling market linkages involving startups and women-led groups, together with Fish Farmers Producer Organisations.
Such reservoirs will support irrigation while enabling fish cultivation. It will help create additional sources of income, especially for smallholding or landless farmers, to diversify. Integrated management will also encourage efficiency in the use of water and climate resilience in regions with variable rain.
