Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on 22 October announced that fisheries will be elevated to a full-fledged industry in the state, making the sector eligible for the same exemptions and incentives available to established industries. Speaking at the National Fisheries Conference held at the Kushabhau Thakre Auditorium in Bhopal, Yadav said the fisheries sector will be integrated with food processing and the MSME framework, unlocking a new wave of private investment and export potential.

Key Announcements at the Conference

At the event, the 'Madhya Pradesh Fisheries Investment and Export Guide' was unveiled with the aim of attracting large-scale private investment and boosting exports. Chief Minister Yadav described the current period as a 'golden period' for both the nation and the state, and noted that Madhya Pradesh's rich water resources — including its role as the origin point of numerous rivers — position it uniquely for aquaculture growth. He also recalled the rapid expansion of irrigation capacity since 2003 and the launch of what he described as the country's first river-linking project in the state.

India's Fisheries Surge: The National Context

Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh (Lalan Singh) informed attendees that India has become the world's second-largest fish producer, with national output rising from 9.5 million tonnes to 19.8 million tonnes and exports climbing from ₹30,213 crore to ₹62,408 crore. The sector currently supports the livelihoods of six crore people across the country. He stressed the need to strengthen export potential in landlocked states like Madhya Pradesh and praised the platform that brought fish farmers, fishermen and exporters together in Bhopal.

Union Minister of State SP Singh Baghel noted that the creation of a dedicated fisheries ministry in 2019 has driven unprecedented progress. He highlighted that inland fisheries now contribute 75% of national output, and that states without a coastline, including Madhya Pradesh, hold immense untapped potential.

Madhya Pradesh Integrated Fisheries Policy-2026

Under the Madhya Pradesh Integrated Fisheries Policy-2026, nearly one lakh cages will be installed across the state's 4.5 lakh hectares of water area. The state plans to develop modern cage culture infrastructure in the Indira Sagar, Bargi, Bansagar and Barna reservoirs, targeting an additional four lakh metric tonnes of fish production. The stated goal is to double the record 4.95 lakh metric tonnes produced in 2025-26 within three years.

The Central Government has also included Madhya Pradesh in its Reservoir Fisheries Cluster programme, developing Samrat Ashok Sagar (Halali) and Indira Sagar as model sites. Halali has already achieved the highest productivity among medium reservoirs in the country, according to officials.

Investment, Jobs and Integrated Activities

Investment proposals worth approximately ₹40,000 crore have already been received, which are expected to generate 3.5 lakh direct and indirect jobs across infrastructure segments including seed, feed, processing, cold storage, transport and exports. Beyond fish cultivation, integrated activities such as lotus, singhara and makhana cultivation, duck rearing, poultry, pearl production and aquaponics are planned to create additional employment avenues.

The policy push signals a structural shift — transforming a sector historically treated as a subsistence occupation into an organised, incentive-linked industry with global export ambitions. With the MSME framework now extended to fisheries, entrepreneurs and cooperatives in the sector will gain access to credit support, subsidies and easier regulatory clearances previously unavailable to them.