New Delhi: The Centre on Tuesday said 1,480 inland fish farmers and 1,234 inland fishermen are registered in Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu, with financial assistance of ₹196.30 lakh provided under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) over the last three years to strengthen inland fisheries and aquaculture.
In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Union Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh (Lalan Singh) said the assistance, disbursed between 2021-22 and 2023-24, supported projects including freshwater finfish hatcheries, seed rearing ponds, grow-out ponds, Biofloc units and a Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS).
The Minister said a study by the ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute (CIFRI) found that fisheries in the Cauvery river stretch in Thanjavur remain seasonal because extensive diversion of river water for agriculture and regulated releases from upstream reservoirs have significantly reduced river flow for much of the year.
To improve fish stocks, the Department of Fisheries implemented a River Ranching Programme under PMMSY, releasing 176 lakh advanced fingerlings across Tamil Nadu, including 59.76 lakh fingerlings in the Cauvery river system. The initiative is expected to increase fish production in the Cauvery to around 220 tonnes, while conserving native fish species and supporting the livelihoods of inland fishermen.
The government said it has substantially increased investments in the fisheries sector since 2015, with a focus on inland aquaculture, sustainable livelihoods and modern technologies across Tamil Nadu’s delta districts, including Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai and Cuddalore.
According to the State government, 355 beneficiaries from the delta districts have received subsidy assistance under PMMSY for activities such as hatcheries, seed rearing ponds, grow-out ponds, Biofloc units, RAS, ornamental fish units and fishing gear. In addition, 9 lakh fingerlings were stocked in Panchayat tanks covering 450 hectares across the delta region during 2024-25 and 2025-26 to enhance inland fish production.
