24 March 2026·PIB

Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF)

In this note

1. At a Glance

Dedicated concessional credit fund of ₹7,522.48 crore set up by the Department of Fisheries (Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying) to create/strengthen fisheries and aquaculture infrastructure [1][2].
Operates via interest subvention up to 3% p.a. routed through Nodal Loaning Entities (NLEs) — NABARD, NCDC and All Scheduled Banks — to Eligible Entities [1][2].
UPSC relevance: GS-III (agriculture allied sector, infrastructure, Blue Economy); often paired with PMMSY and Sagarmala.

PIB release dated 24 March 2026 by Ministry of Fisheries reiterating FIDF status, fund size, interest-subvention norms and project sanctions [1].
Continues to be operational under the 3-year extension up to 2025-26 approved by the Union Cabinet in February 2023 [2].

2018-19: FIDF launched by Department of Fisheries with ₹7,522.48 crore corpus to address infrastructure gap that constrained fish production [1][2].
2018-19 to 2022-23 (Phase I): 121 fisheries infrastructure projects with investment cost of ₹5,588.63 crore approved [2].
February 2023: Union Cabinet approved extension of FIDF for 3 more years up to 2025-26 within the same fund size, with budgetary support of ₹939.48 crore [2].
Cumulatively (as per PIB), 228 proposals/projects sanctioned at total cost ₹5,559.54 crore, with project cost for interest subvention restricted at ₹4,351.86 crore [S1-search summary].

Implementing Ministry/Dept: Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying [1].
Total Fund size: ₹7,522.48 crore [1][2].
Budgetary support (for interest subvention) on extension: ₹939.48 crore [2].
Nodal Loaning Entities (NLEs): NABARD, NCDC, and All Scheduled Banks [1][2].
Interest subvention: up to 3% p.a.; lending rate by NLEs not lower than 5% p.a. [1].
Eligible Entities (EEs): State Governments/UTs, State-owned entities (incl. SPVs, PSUs, fed/coops, municipal corporations), and other private stakeholders [1][2].
Coverage of activities: fishing harbours, fish landing centres, ice plants, cold storage, integrated cold chain, modern fish markets, brood banks, hatcheries, fish seed farms, fish feed mills, cage culture, deep-sea fishing vessels, disease diagnostic labs, mariculture & aquatic quarantine facilities [2].
Implementation period (original): FY 2018-19 to 2022-23; extended up to 2025-26 [1][2].

Economic

Targets the infrastructure bottleneck constraining the Blue Economy and India's standing as the world's 2nd largest fish producer; boosts exports and post-harvest value [2].
Concessional credit at sub-market rates lowers capital cost for capex-heavy assets like harbours and cold chains [1].

Administrative / Federal

Cooperative federalism design: Centre subsidises interest; States/UTs and state entities are primary borrowers and implementers; NLEs handle credit appraisal [1][2].
Tripartite MoA between Department of Fisheries, NLE and Eligible Entity governs each loan.

Environmental

Funds mariculture, brood banks, hatcheries, disease diagnostic labs, aquatic quarantine — supporting sustainable aquaculture and biosecurity [2].

Scientific/Technological

Backs deep-sea fishing vessels, modern processing units, cage culture in reservoirs — technology upgradation of a traditionally artisanal sector [2].

24 March 2026: PIB reiteration of FIDF fund size (₹7,522.48 cr) and 3% interest-subvention mechanism via NLEs [1].
Continued sanctions under the extended window (till 2025-26), cumulative 228 projects costing ₹5,559.54 crore [1].

FIDF launched in FY 2018-19 [1][2].
Total fund size: ₹7,522.48 crore [1].
Interest subvention: up to 3% per annum [1].
Minimum lending rate by NLEs: 5% p.a. [1].
NLEs are NABARD, NCDC and All Scheduled Banks (NABARD is included — common trap) [1][2].
Implementing Department: Department of Fisheries (NOT MoEFCC, NOT Department of Animal Husbandry) [1].
Parent Ministry: Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying (created as separate Ministry in 2019) [1].
Cabinet extended FIDF up to 2025-26 in February 2023 [2].
Budgetary support on extension: ₹939.48 crore [2].
Phase I (2018-19 to 2022-23) sanctioned 121 projects worth ₹5,588.63 crore [2].
Eligible activities include fishing harbours, hatcheries, brood banks, cold chain, deep-sea vessels, mariculture, aquatic quarantine [2].
Eligible Entities include State Governments, UTs, state entities and private stakeholders [1].

GS-III — Agriculture & Allied sectors; Infrastructure; Food processing; Animal Husbandry/Fisheries economics; Blue Economy.
Possible stems:
"Discuss the role of FIDF in bridging India's fisheries infrastructure deficit. How does it complement PMMSY?"
"Concessional finance mechanisms are central to India's Blue Economy push. Examine with reference to FIDF."
"Evaluate the federal architecture of fisheries sector schemes in India, using FIDF as a case study."

Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) — flagship fisheries scheme; complements FIDF.
PM Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah-Yojana (PM-MKSSY) — sub-scheme under PMMSY (2023).
Blue Revolution / Neel Kranti Mission — predecessor umbrella scheme.
Sagarmala Programme — port-led development; overlaps with fishing harbours.
Kisan Credit Card for Fishers — credit support to individuals.
NABARD & NCDC — institutional players as NLEs.
Deep Ocean Mission (MoES) — Blue Economy adjacency.
National Fisheries Policy 2020 — strategic backdrop.

Implementing Ministry is Fisheries, AH & Dairying — NOT Ministry of Agriculture or MoEFCC.
FIDF gives interest subvention (3%), not direct grants or equity.
NABARD is an NLE under FIDF — frequently confused as only a refinancer.
FIDF ≠ PMMSY: FIDF is a credit/concessional finance fund; PMMSY is a central sector + centrally sponsored scheme with grant components.
Fund corpus is ₹7,522.48 crore, not "₹7,522 crore budgetary outlay" — most of it is loan, with only ₹939.48 cr budgetary support for interest subvention.