Parshottam Rupala, Union Minister of Fisheries and Animal Husbandry on 10 August launched a one-of-a-kind coffee table book titled 'Fish & Seafood - a collection of 75 gourmet recipes' here. The Department of Fisheries under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying has launched this initiative in an effort to increase domestic consumption of fish and seafood while also popularising local fish species.
The book was launched in the presence of both Ministers of States (MoS) Dr. L. Murugan and Dr. Sanjeev Kumar Balyan, Secretary Jatindra Nath Swain, Joint Secretary (Inland Fisheries) Sagar Mehra, Joint Secretary (Marine Fisheries) J Balaji, other Department officials, PMC to PMMSY, and Special Guest Celebrity Chef Kunal Kapur.
The coffee table book and its launch event are part of the ongoing Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav campaign, which commemorates India's 75th year of independence. The recipe book highlights the variety of fish available in domestic water bodies as well as the country's fish culinary heritage, which represents the country's diverse cooking and eating styles.
Since ancient times, fish and seafood have been an important part of the Indian diet. Many remains discovered indicate that fish was a significant dietary element in the Indus Valley Civilization. Because of its nutritional value, fish has become an essential part of the Indian diet. Aquaculture will account for nearly two-thirds of India's fish production by 2030, according to Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) projections. This shows that fisheries and aquaculture are important sources of employment as well as a vital source of food and nutrition security, particularly for the rural population.
Recognizing the importance of the fisheries sector, the Government of India launched its flagship scheme Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) in May 2020 as part of the AtmaNirbhar Bharat Package with the highest ever investment of Rs. 20,050 crores. The schemes will be implemented across all states and union territories over a five-year period, from FY 2020-21 to FY 2024-25. The scheme aims to drive the sector's sustainable and responsible development, while also ensuring the socio-economic development of fishers, fish farmers, and all other stakeholders along the value chain.
To develop the sector holistically, PMMSY intends to address critical gaps in fish production and productivity, quality, technology infusion, traceability, post-harvest infrastructure, and management. The Department's goal is to foster private sector engagement, innovation and entrepreneurship, ease of doing business, and other necessary support.
The Department intends to promote the local recipes and diversity of Indian fish gastronomy heritage through the coffee table book, in addition to increasing domestic fish consumption and promoting fish protein for food and nutritional security.
Mehra, Joint Secretary (Inland Fisheries), stated that the Department has been taking various strategic initiatives through the PMMSY scheme to increase domestic fish consumption from 5kg per capita to 12kg per capita, double exports to Rs. 1 lakh Crore, and increase productivity from 3 tonnes per Ha to 5 tonnes per Ha. He encouraged everyone to incorporate fish into their diets because it is a low-cost protein source, and he encouraged everyone to try the recipes in the book.
