New Delhi, August 12, 2026: The Government is expanding the use of digital technology to strengthen India’s livestock and fisheries sectors, improve access to services and support farmers, fishers and other stakeholders.

Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh said digital platforms are being used to improve service delivery, animal tracking, access to institutional credit, insurance and other support mechanisms.

39.23 Crore Livestock Registered Under Pashu Aadhaar

The Bharat Pashudhan Portal has so far registered 39.23 crore livestock animals under the 12-digit unique identification system known as “Pashu Aadhaar.”

Bharat Pashudhan is a technology-enabled, farmer-centric digital ecosystem that assigns each registered livestock animal a unique 12-digit barcoded ear tag.

The system enables tracking of important information related to:

  • Animal identification and ownership
  • Breeding
  • Health
  • Productivity
  • Vaccination
  • Artificial insemination
  • Disease reporting
  • Milk production

Mobile and web applications are being used across States and Union Territories by field workers to record livestock-related activities.

17.27 Crore Artificial Inseminations Recorded

The platform has recorded 17.27 crore artificial inseminations under the Nationwide Artificial Insemination Programme (NAIP).

These artificial inseminations have covered 10.51 crore animals and benefited approximately 5.98 crore farmers.

Bharat Pashudhan also stores milk productivity information generated through genetic improvement programmes. This data can support the identification and selection of bovines with higher genetic merit.

The 1962 Mobile App further enables farmers to access authenticated livestock information and services using the unique identification number of their animals.

35.85 Lakh Stakeholders Registered on Fisheries Digital Platform

In the fisheries sector, the National Fisheries Digital Platform (NFDP) has registered 35.85 lakh fishers, fish farmers, fish vendors and other stakeholders.

The NFDP was launched on September 11, 2024, under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah-Yojana (PM-MKSSY).

The platform is designed to formalise the fisheries and aquaculture sector by creating work-based digital identities and a comprehensive database of stakeholders.

Digital Platform Provides Access to Credit and Insurance

NFDP functions as a one-stop digital platform for accessing several services and support mechanisms, including:

  • Institutional credit
  • Fisheries cooperative strengthening
  • Aquaculture insurance
  • Performance-based incentives
  • Fisheries traceability
  • Training and capacity building

The Government has made the beneficiary application process for PM-MKSSY benefits available online to make access to financial and technical support easier.

However, the Government clarified that Kisan Credit Card (KCC) applications are not processed through Bharat Pashudhan or NFDP.

KCC applications are processed and approved by banks through their respective core banking systems.

PM-MKSSY Backed by ₹6,000 Crore Outlay

The Department of Fisheries is implementing the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah-Yojana (PM-MKSSY) under the ongoing Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY).

The scheme is being implemented for four years from FY 2023-24 to FY 2026-27, with an estimated outlay of ₹6,000 crore.

Under Component 1-A of PM-MKSSY, institutional credit access is being enhanced for fishers, fish farmers, fish workers, fish vendors and micro and small enterprises.

A total of 12 nationalised banks have been onboarded onto the NFDP. Applications received through the platform are forwarded to the banks, which then take further action according to established procedures.

Eligible beneficiaries can receive financial assistance of up to ₹5,000 for successful loans under the relevant support mechanism.

Aquaculture Insurance Gets Financial Incentive

PM-MKSSY also provides a one-time incentive for the purchase of aquaculture insurance under Component 1-B.

The incentive is set at 40% of the premium paid, subject to specified ceilings.

For eligible aquaculture systems, the incentive can be up to ₹25,000 per hectare, or up to ₹1 lakh per farmer for four hectares of Water Spread Area (WSA).

Insurance support also covers intensive aquaculture systems such as:

  • Farms
  • Cage culture
  • Recirculatory Aquaculture Systems (RAS)
  • Bio-floc systems
  • Raceways

For intensive aquaculture systems, the incentive is 40% of the premium paid, with a ceiling of ₹1 lakh per farmer for 1,800 cubic metres.

SC/ST and women beneficiaries are eligible for an additional 10% incentive.

Digital Ecosystems Aim to Improve Farmer Services

The expansion of Bharat Pashudhan and NFDP reflects the Government’s broader push towards digitalisation of agriculture-linked sectors.

While Bharat Pashudhan focuses on livestock identification, breeding, health and productivity management, NFDP seeks to bring fisheries and aquaculture stakeholders into a formal digital ecosystem with easier access to credit, insurance, training and other services.

The growing number of registrations on both platforms indicates the increasing role of digital infrastructure in connecting farmers, livestock owners, fishers and other rural stakeholders with government-supported services.