Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund
मत्स्य पालन एवं जलीय कृषि अवसंरचना विकास निधि
Concessional loans — up to 80% of project cost, with up to 3% per annum interest subvention — for fishing harbours, cold storage, ice plants, hatcheries and other fisheries infrastructure, routed through NABARD, NCDC or a scheduled bank.
- Fund size
- ₹7,522.48 crore
- Scheme status
- Active, extended to FY2025-26
- Running since
- FY2018-19
- Interest subvention
- Up to 3% per annum
- Loan cover
- Up to 80% of project cost
- Application route
- Through NABARD / NCDC / a scheduled bank
- Ministry
- Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying
- Proposals approved
- 228, worth ₹5,559.54 crore
Overview
FIDF is not a subsidy or a cash grant. It is a dedicated pool of concessional finance that the Department of Fisheries has been running since FY2018-19, with a total fund size of ₹7,522.48 crore. The Union Cabinet approved a 3-year extension on 8 February 2024, taking the scheme to FY2025-26 within the same ₹7,522.48 crore fund size, backed by budgetary support of ₹939.48 crore for interest subvention.
An eligible entity does not get money from the government directly. It takes a loan — up to 80% of the approved project cost — from one of three Nodal Loaning Entities (NLEs): NABARD for State/UT government projects, NCDC for the cooperative sector (routed through State Governments/UTs or directly to eligible cooperative societies and federations), and scheduled banks for private beneficiaries and individual entrepreneurs. The NLE lends at an interest rate of not less than 5% per annum, and the Department of Fisheries pays an interest subvention of up to 3% per annum directly to the NLE, over a repayment period of up to 12 years, including a 2-year moratorium on principal.
The fund supports fishing harbours, fish landing centres, ice plants, cold storage, fish transport facilities, integrated cold chain (marine and inland), modern fish markets, brood banks, hatcheries, aquaculture development, fish seed farms, fisheries training centres, fish processing units, fish feed mills/plants, cage culture in reservoirs, deep sea fishing vessels, disease diagnostic laboratories, mariculture, and aquatic quarantine facilities. As informed to Parliament, the Department of Fisheries has approved 228 proposals worth ₹5,559.54 crore, of which ₹4,351.86 crore is the project cost eligible for interest subvention.
Scheme highlights
Up to 3% interest subvention
Paid by the Department of Fisheries directly to the lending institution, not to the borrower, on a loan taken at not less than 5% per annum.
Loan up to 80% of project cost
The eligible entity funds the remaining 20%-plus margin itself, through its own contribution or another source.
Three Nodal Loaning Entities
NABARD for State/UT projects, NCDC for the cooperative sector, and all scheduled banks for private beneficiaries and entrepreneurs.
Wide infrastructure coverage
Fishing harbours, cold chain, hatcheries, fish markets, feed mills, deep sea vessels, disease labs and mariculture all qualify.
Up to 12-year repayment
Including a 2-year moratorium on repayment of principal, giving a new facility time to start earning before instalments begin.
228 projects already approved
Worth ₹5,559.54 crore in total project cost, as reported by the Department of Fisheries to Parliament.
What you get
Interest subvention
Up to 3% per annum, paid by the Department of Fisheries directly to the Nodal Loaning Entity — it reduces the interest cost, not the principal owed.
Who benefits
State Governments/UTs and state entities, fisheries cooperatives and federations, Panchayati Raj institutions, SHGs, NGOs, women entrepreneurs, private companies and individual entrepreneurs.
Loan terms
Up to 80% of project cost, at an NLE lending rate of not less than 5% per annum, repayable over up to 12 years including a 2-year moratorium.
Financing route
Money flows through NABARD, NCDC or a scheduled bank — FIDF does not pay a beneficiary directly, and there is no individual online application for a cash benefit.
Who is eligible
Both lists come from the notified operational guidelines — meeting the left column is not enough if anything in the right column applies to your family.
You qualify if
- State Governments / Union Territories, and State-owned corporations, undertakings or government-sponsored/supported organisations
- Fisheries cooperative federations and cooperative societies
- Collective groups of fish farmers and fish producers, Panchayati Raj Institutions, Self-Help Groups and NGOs
- Women entrepreneurs
- Private companies and individual entrepreneurs
- Project activity is on the FIDF list of eligible fisheries infrastructure (fishing harbours, cold chain, hatcheries, fish markets, feed mills, deep sea vessels, disease labs, mariculture, etc.)
- A viable Detailed Project Report (DPR) that a Nodal Loaning Entity is willing to appraise and sanction
Excluded — even with land
- An activity not on the FIDF-approved list of fisheries infrastructure
- A proposal without a bank/NLE-appraised, viable Detailed Project Report
- A project with no clear land, water body or site tie-up for the proposed infrastructure
Where this scheme applies
A central scheme with pan-India coverage — open to eligible farmers in every State and Union Territory.
Documents you need
Have these ready before you start — the online form takes ten minutes when nothing is missing.
Detailed Project Report (DPR)
Activity, cost estimate, layout, machinery/equipment quotations and the funding plan — every proposal needs one for NLE appraisal.
Identity and entity proof
Aadhaar/PAN for an individual entrepreneur, or the registration certificate for a cooperative, FPO, SHG, NGO or company.
Land / water-body papers
Ownership, lease, or a valid NOC for the site where the fisheries infrastructure will come up.
Bank account and financial statements
Active bank account, and financial statements the Nodal Loaning Entity needs to appraise loan capacity.
State/UT sponsorship letter
For projects routed through NABARD or NCDC, a letter or endorsement from the concerned State Government/UT fisheries department.
How to apply, step by step
The same six steps apply whether you register yourself online or sit down at a CSC.
- 1
Prepare a Detailed Project Report
Draft the DPR — activity, cost estimate, layout drawings, machinery quotations, land details and the funding split between margin, loan and interest subvention.
- 2
Identify the right Nodal Loaning Entity
A State/UT government project goes to NABARD; a cooperative-sector project goes to NCDC (via the State Government/UT or directly to the eligible cooperative); a private or individual project goes to any scheduled bank.
- 3
NLE credit appraisal and loan sanction
The Nodal Loaning Entity appraises the DPR and sanctions a loan of up to 80% of the approved project cost, at not less than 5% per annum.
- 4
Interest-subvention approval
Once the loan is sanctioned, the proposal is placed before the Department of Fisheries for approval of the interest subvention component.
- 5
Disbursement, implementation and repayment
The loan is disbursed as the project progresses; the Department of Fisheries pays its subvention share directly to the NLE, while the borrower repays over up to 12 years, including a 2-year moratorium.
Important dates
Fund created
FY2018-19
Total fund size ₹7,522.48 crore
Cabinet approved extension
8 February 2024
Extended for 3 more years, within the same fund size
Extended scheme period
Up to FY2025-26
Budgetary support of ₹939.48 crore for interest subvention
Latest reported approvals
228 proposals, ₹5,559.54 crore
As informed to Parliament by the Department of Fisheries
Facts last checked
19 August 2026
Against PIB and PM India press releases on FIDF
Check your eligibility
Straight from the notified criteria. Nothing you enter leaves your phone.
0 of 7 answered
This checker applies the criteria in the official operational guidelines, but it is guidance — only the state government’s verification against the land records is final.
Downloads
Official documents only — everything below is hosted on the government's own servers.
Official links & helpline
Bookmark the portal itself — no third-party site can release, block or speed up a payment.
- FIDF page, Department of Fisheriesdof.gov.in — the scheme's official overview
- Cabinet approval of FIDF extensionPIB press release — 3-year extension to FY2025-26, ₹939.48 crore budgetary support
- FIDF — eligible entities and NLEs explainedPIB press release on how FIDF routes concessional finance through Nodal Loaning Entities
- Latest FIDF approval numbersPIB press release / Parliament reply — 228 proposals worth ₹5,559.54 crore approved
- Related: PMMSY (fisheries subsidy scheme)The grant/subsidy scheme that complements FIDF's loan-based financing
Helpline
24×7 IVRS and help desk, run by the ministry — the call is the fastest way to check a stuck payment.
Frequently asked questions
What is FIDF?
The Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund is a Government of India fund, run by the Department of Fisheries since FY2018-19, that provides concessional loans — not cash grants — for building fisheries infrastructure such as fishing harbours, cold storage, hatcheries and fish markets. The total fund size is ₹7,522.48 crore.
Is FIDF a subsidy scheme?
No. FIDF does not pay money directly to a beneficiary. It is a concessional-finance fund: an eligible entity takes a loan from a Nodal Loaning Entity, and the Department of Fisheries pays part of the interest on that loan. The borrower still repays the full principal.
When was FIDF extended, and for how long?
The Union Cabinet approved a 3-year extension on 8 February 2024, taking FIDF from its original period up to FY2025-26 — within the same ₹7,522.48 crore fund size, backed by budgetary support of ₹939.48 crore for interest subvention.
Who is eligible for FIDF financing?
State Governments/UTs and state entities, fisheries cooperative federations and societies, Panchayati Raj Institutions, Self-Help Groups, NGOs, women entrepreneurs, private companies and individual entrepreneurs — provided the project is on the FIDF-approved list of fisheries infrastructure.
What infrastructure does FIDF fund?
Fishing harbours, fish landing centres, ice plants, cold storage, fish transport facilities, integrated cold chain, modern fish markets, brood banks, hatcheries, aquaculture development, fish seed farms, fisheries training centres, fish processing units, fish feed mills, cage culture in reservoirs, deep sea fishing vessels, disease diagnostic laboratories, mariculture, and aquatic quarantine facilities.
How does FIDF actually give the loan — who lends the money?
Through three Nodal Loaning Entities: NABARD lends for State/UT government projects, NCDC lends to the cooperative sector (via the State Government/UT or directly to eligible cooperative societies and federations), and all scheduled banks lend to private beneficiaries and individual entrepreneurs. FIDF itself does not disburse loans.
How much loan can I get, and at what interest rate?
Up to 80% of the approved project cost, at a Nodal Loaning Entity interest rate of not less than 5% per annum. The Department of Fisheries pays an interest subvention of up to 3% per annum directly to the NLE, which lowers the effective cost of borrowing.
What is the repayment period under FIDF?
Up to 12 years, including a 2-year moratorium on repayment of principal — giving a new fisheries facility time to start generating income before EMIs on the principal begin.
How do I apply for FIDF financing?
There is no direct cash application to the Department of Fisheries. Prepare a Detailed Project Report and approach the correct Nodal Loaning Entity for your category — NABARD for a State/UT project, NCDC for a cooperative-sector project, or a scheduled bank for a private/individual project. The NLE appraises the DPR and sanctions the loan; the interest-subvention component is then approved and paid to the NLE.
What documents does a FIDF proposal need?
A Detailed Project Report with cost estimate, layout and machinery quotations; identity/entity registration proof; land or water-body ownership, lease or NOC papers; bank account and financial statements; and, for State/UT or cooperative-routed projects, a sponsorship letter from the concerned government department.
How is FIDF different from PMMSY?
PMMSY (Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana) is a grant-based scheme — it pays a capital subsidy of 40–60% of project cost directly to a beneficiary. FIDF is loan-based — it does not pay a subsidy; it makes concessional bank finance available through NABARD, NCDC and scheduled banks, with the government covering part of the interest. The two are separate but complementary: some fisheries infrastructure projects combine a PMMSY subsidy with FIDF loan financing for the remaining cost.
How many FIDF projects have been approved so far?
As reported by the Department of Fisheries to Parliament, 228 proposals worth ₹5,559.54 crore in total project cost have been approved, of which ₹4,351.86 crore is the portion eligible for interest subvention.
Can an individual fish farmer apply for FIDF directly?
Yes, as a private entrepreneur — but the route is through a scheduled bank, not a direct application to the government. The bank appraises the project as it would any commercial loan, and the interest-subvention component is claimed on top of that sanctioned loan.
What is the FIDF helpline?
The Department of Fisheries toll-free helpline is 1800-425-1660 (the same number used for PMMSY queries). For a specific FIDF proposal, contact your State Fisheries Department or the Nodal Loaning Entity (NABARD/NCDC/your bank) handling the application.
Still have questions?
The FAQs above cover the common ones. For anything about your specific application, the ministry helpline 1800-425-1660 is the authoritative answer — and we are happy to point you in the right direction.