Fisheries Policy of Andhra Pradesh 2015-2020

GOVERNMENT OF ANDHRA PRADESH

                                                      ABSTRACT

Fisheries Department – Fisheries Policy of Andhra Pradesh 2015-2020 - Orders – Issued.

ANIMAL HUSBANDRY, DAIRY DEVELOPMENT & FISHERIES (FISH) DEPARTMENT

G.O.Ms.No.30                                                                                Dated:31-10-2015

                                                                                                        Read:-

                      From the Commissioner  of Fisheries, Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad

Letter No.1860/B1/2015, dated 2.5.2015.

-o0o-

ORDER:

            The Government of Andhra Pradesh has identified the Fisheries sector as a Growth Engine for social economic development of the new State of Andhra Pradesh. The Vision 2029 Programme promotes the rational exploitation and utilization of the State’s fishery resources in a manner consistent with the overall goal of sustainable development.  In this context a comprehensive fisheries policy is indispensible and therefore the Government of Andhra Pradesh has considered it necessary to specifically to undertake a Fisheries Policy with a view to determining the nature and scope of current priorities; the role and contribution of the Fisheries Sector to meet these priorities; the strengths; potentials and constraints of the sector and the requirements to make the sector more responsive to the current demands on it.

2.         The Government of Andhra Pradesh accords top priority to Fisheries Development and its intervention for marine, brackish water, Inland fisheries, reservoirs development and ornamental fishery trade, with a view to enhance the fish production to 42 lakh tones  in the next  five years from the present  level of 19.64 lakh tones  and to double  the exports value  from the present level  of about Rs.16000 Crores. 

3.         Government with a view to make Andhra Pradesh a hub of Fisheries, hereby introduce the Fisheries Policy 2015-2020.  The detailed policy document is appended as Annexure to this order.

4.         Under the Fisheries Policy 2015-2020, the Government approved the following fiscal benefits covering the categories of (a) Processing Units (b) Aquaculture Pond/ Farm (c ) Feed Manufacturing Units/Fishery related Equipments Manufacturing (d) Aqua Labs/ Disease Diagnostic Labs Promotion.

4.1.0. Processing Units

4.1.1.   For shrimp processing units including cold chain maintenance, Capital subsidy of 50% inclusive of land cost with upper ceiling limit of Rs.5 crores, will be provided. The cost of land should not exceed 15% of the total project cost on sub–registrar value.

4.1.2.    For fish processing / filleting units including cold chain, land cost etc., subsidy of 50% with upper ceiling limit of Rs. 7 crores will be provided. The cost of land should not exceed 15% of the total project cost on   sub –registrar date.

4.1.3.    Interest subvention of 6% will be provided on bank loan subject to maximum of Rs.2.5 Crores for 5 year period to aqua processing units, ice plants and cold storages

4.1.4.     Reefer vans: For purchase of Reefer vans, a subsidy of 50% with maximum of 

 Rs. 10.00 Lakhs per vehicle will be provided from 2016-17  onwards

4.1.5   Cold storage at ports/ Fishing harbours with subsidy will be permitted on par with    

            industrial policy.

4.1.5.    Aquaculture processing units will be incentivized by providing 100% stamp duty exemption in land registration/lease of land/, mortgage deed/Bank documentation/ Hypothecation etc.

4.1.7.  Power subsidy will also be permitted to fish/prawn/shrimp   processing  unit and ice plants  from the date of commencement of commercial production and  will be  on par with industrial policy from 2016-17.

  

4.2.0.   Aquaculture Pond /Farms

4.2.1.    Financial assistance will be extended for farm mechanization like pumps and aerators with 50% subsidy. Solar pumps, solar lights and solar based aerators will be given  on 60% subsidy to the prawn and shrimp farms up to  maximum of 2 ha per farmer per annum .

4.2.2.    Scale of finance by banks will be as per reasonable requirement for pond culture.

4.2.3.    All subsidy schemes of Government of India/ Government of Andhra Pradesh/ NFDB/ MPEDA will also be accessed appropriately.

4.2.4.    Power will be supplied to Shrimp and Prawn culture farms  at Rs.3.75 ps/ unit for a maximum of 2 hectares per aqua-farmers/ shrimp farmers from the year 2016-17.

4.3.0      Feed Manufacturing units / fishery related Equipment Manufacturing

4.3.1.    Incentives will be provided to feed manufacturing units, aerator manufacturing, fish processing equipment on par with industrial policy.

4.3.2.     Interest subvention of 6% per annum up to a maximum of Rs.2.00 Crores will be provided to the Fish Feed Manufacturing units only for Five Years.  This policy will be reviewed after one year.

4.4.0.    Aqua labs / Disease diagnostic labs Promotion

4.4.1     All private labs in the State will be graded under technical supervision of State Institute of Fisheries technology (SIFT), Kakinada. SIFT will act as State referral lab for all private labs. The technicians of these labs will be continuously monitored to upgrade their skills as per the technical requirements of Aquaculture sector.

4.4.2     Water and soil analysis labs will be promoted in all major aquaculture districts for conducive water management. One lab for every 500 ha area is proposed with a unit cost of  maximum of Rs.10.00 lakhs. The financial assistance of 50 % on the unit cost will be extended by Government and the balance of 50% to be borne by

the concerned entrepreneur/ stakeholder.

4.4.3     Quality control / Antibiotic residue testing labs will be promoted through private sector in the districts of East Godavari, Krishna and Prakasam to overcome the problem of rejection of exported shrimp due to presence of antibiotic residues.  The unit cost of the lab will be Rs. 2.00 Crores of which the Government assistance will be 40%.

5.            Insurance Facility: Suitable modalities will be worked out for Insurance to Aquaculture crops, boats and nets in consultation with insurance companies.

6.             Ease of Doing Business – Single Desk System:  In respect of processing industry, Ice Plants, feed manufacturing plants, and fishery related equipments, boat building yards, aerators manufacturing units etc there will be a single desk system  for giving clearances  through the e-platform of Industries department.

7.            Empowered Committee:  Small processing units will be sanctioned by the District Committee headed by District Collector.  Large units will be sanctioned by Committee to be headed by the Secretary to Government, Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development & Fisheries Department.  The composition of the Committee is as follows:-

Composition of Empowered committee: 

a)      Secretary to Government, AH, DD & F Dept. - Chairman

b)      Secretary, Finance                                            - Member

c)      Secretary, Environment, Forest, Science

       and & Technology                                           - Member

d)      Secretary, Water Resources                           - Member

e)      Secretary, Industries                                       - Member

f)       Secretary, Energy and infrastructure              - Member

g)      Commissioner  of Fisheries                            - Member /Convener

8.        Research and Development

8.1.        A Special fund of Rs 5 crore will be created (subsidy up to 60 % will be provided for sponsored research by reputed research institutions in Private sector and PPP mode, 100% funding to govt. institutions)  for research & development in aquaculture.

8.2.     Better coordination and convergence in the research efforts of various research and development institutions including the ICAR, State Agricultural and Veterinary University, All India Coordinated Research Projects, National Bureaus, NGOs and private sector to tackle demand driven and farmer-oriented issues will be  prioritized.

9.         Public Private Partnership

9.1.        Infrastructure facilities like All-weather Harbours for Fishing crafts with all facilities will be established in Visakhapatnam. East Godavari, Prakasam and Nellore districts etc. under Build Operate and Transfer (BOT). Government will consider

Viability Gap Funding (VGF) to such projects as per Government of India guidelines, in addition to other fiscal incentives mentioned earlier.

9.2.        Aqua clusters with cold chain, processing & value addition will be established with the active participation of Private sectors like WalMart / Spencers /More/ Bigbazar etc., extending benefits as in the case of SEZ for 100% export promotion.

9.3.        Sea cage culture and diversification into high value fish culture will be prioritized and encouraged by importing technology already developed else ware with buy back agreement from importing country.  

9.4.        Government will explore establishment of “Mid Sea Fish Processing/bunkering units” on a pilot basis under PPP mode for high value fin fish like tuna.

10.        Export Promotion:

10.1.      Linkage with MPEDA will be developed for storage/ refrigeration/Harbour Facilities/ Fiscal Incentives.

10.2.   Mega Food Parks will be established in suitable places by tapping the incentive from the Government of India.

10.3.      Effort  will be made to develop fisheries infrastructure for promotion of fish and fish products exports in Bhimavaram and Visakhapanam  which are recognized as  the towns of export excellence (marine Sector) in trade policy of Government of India,2015-2020

11.    Welfare

11.1.      Livelihood compensation of Rs. 5 lakh will be paid to the fishermen during period of disasters, i.e., death in sea during fishing. For permanent disability, Rs. 2 lakhs will be paid.  Advance warning systems will be strengthened to inform fishermen of impending disaster.

11.2.      ‘Polluter Pays Principle’ will be applied in the fisheries sector and the CSR funds thus collected from coastal establishments will be routed for welfare of fishermen.

11.3.      To ensure that the fishermen earn sustainable livelihood, it will be the endeavor of the government to promote co-management of the resources by effective involvement of local community in a cohesive manner.

11.4.      Government will issue biometric identification to all fishermen.

11.5.      Appropriate steps will be taken to ensure that quality education and healthcare, housing will be made available to the families of the fishermen. Fishermen habitations will be provided with safe drinking water, roads etc. 

11.6.      The extension of subsidies to SCs, STs and Women will be on par with industrial policy vis a vis this policy.

12.          The Government also agreed that the assistance to the sea going fishermen during the ban period will be as per as Tamil Nadu package.

13.            Minor Irrigation / Grama Panchayat (G.P.) Tanks will be leased out for 3 years to the genuine fishermen societies / SC/ST Fishermen society / Women of self-help groups in case there are no fishermen in that village.

14.          The detailed policy document is appended as Annexure-I.

15.          The policy will come into operation from the date of issue of this order and will remain in force for five (5) years or upto 31.3.2020.

16.       The Commissioner of Fisheries, Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad shall take necessary action in the matter accordingly.

17.       This orders issues with the concurrence of Finance Department vide their U.O. No.2126/156/A2/EBS-II/15, dated 16.6.2015.      

                                                                  DR.MANMOHAN SINGH

                                          PRINCIPAL SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT