PIB Summary

April 06, 2026

The Press Information Bureau (PIB) Summary provides a concise and reliable compilation of important government updates, policy decisions, schemes, and initiatives released by various ministries of the Government of India. It serves as an authentic source for aspirants preparing for competitive exams like UPSC, SSC, Banking, and State PCS.

1. India’s Resilient Production Systems in Agriculture

Source: PIB

Summary

• Production Records: India achieved a record foodgrain production of 357.73 MMT and horticulture output of 362.08 MT (2024-25), reflecting a shift towards high-value crops.
• Global Standing: India is the 1st in millets, dry onions, spices, and coconut production; and 2nd in rice, wheat, pulses, fruits, vegetables, sugarcane, cotton, and tea.
• Economic Impact: Agricultural exports rose to USD 51.1 billion (FY25), with the share of processed food increasing to 20.4%.
• Financial Support: Budget allocation for the Dept. of Agriculture increased from ₹21,933 crore (2013-14) to ₹1.30 lakh crore (2026-27).
• Welfare & Security: ₹4.27 lakh crore disbursed under PM-KISAN; over ₹1.90 lakh crore in insurance claims paid under PMFBY.
• Market Reforms: e-NAM has integrated 1,656 mandis, benefiting 1.8 crore farmers through digital price discovery.

1. Production & Global Leadership (2024-25)

India’s production systems have shown immense resilience, scaling significantly over the last decade. Horticulture has now surpassed foodgrain production in total tonnage, indicating a structural shift toward high-value agriculture.

Commodity	India’s Global Rank	Production (2024-25)	Key Producing States
Rice	2nd	150.18 MT	UP, Telangana, West Bengal
Wheat	2nd	117.94 MT	UP, MP, Punjab
Pulses	1st	25.68 MT	MP, Maharashtra, Rajasthan
Millets	1st	18.59 MT	Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka
Horticulture	2nd	362.08 MT	AP, Maharashtra, UP, WB
Spices	1st	12.00 MMT	MP, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh

2. Key Public Policy Interventions

The government has transitioned from simple input support to a productivity-led strategy focusing on sustainability and risk management.

Financial & Income Support

• PM-KISAN: Provides ₹6,000/year in three installments. Total disbursement has reached ₹4.27 lakh crore.
• PM-KMY: A voluntary pension scheme for Small and Marginal Farmers (SMF) providing ₹3,000/month after age 60.
• Institutional Credit: Ground-level credit reached ₹28.67 lakh crore in FY 2024-25, supported by 7.72 crore operative Kisan Credit Cards (KCC).

Productivity & Sustainability Missions

• Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses (2025-31): Aimed at ending import dependence.
• NMEO-Oilseeds: Targeting self-reliance in edible oils by 2030-31.
• Soil Health Cards: Over 25.55 crore cards issued to promote balanced nutrient use.
• Natural Farming: Expanded to 17,632 clusters covering 6.39 lakh hectares.

3. Market Reforms & Value Addition

To ensure farmers get better prices, the focus has shifted to “One Nation, One Market” and processing infrastructure.

• e-NAM: A digital platform connecting 1,656 mandis to remove information asymmetry.
• FPOs: 10,000 Farmer Producer Organisations registered to enhance the bargaining power of smallholders.
• PM Kisan Sampada Yojana: Focuses on modernizing the supply chain from farm gate to retail.
• PLI Scheme: Mobilized ₹9,207 crore in investments for food processing to boost export competitiveness.

4. Risk Management & Food Security

• PM Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY): A tech-driven crop insurance scheme. Claims worth ₹1.90 lakh crore have been settled since 2016-17.
• National Food Security Act (NFSA): Covers 81.35 crore beneficiaries with subsidized foodgrains.
• One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC): Achieved 99.8% Aadhaar seeding, allowing beneficiaries to lift rations from any Fair Price Shop in India.

5. Future Outlook: Budget 2026-27 Focus

The latest budget emphasizes region-specific high-value crops:

• Coastal Regions: Support for Coconut, Sandalwood, Cocoa, and Cashew.
• North East: Promotion of Agar trees.
• Hilly Areas: Focus on Almonds, Walnuts, and Pine nuts.

This approach aims to harness local agro-climatic strengths to maximize economic returns and stabilize global food supply chains.

2. Annual Survey of Incorporated Services Sector Enterprises (ASISSE)

Source: PIB

Summary

• Launch: NSO (MoSPI) launched the first-ever Annual Survey of Incorporated Services Sector Enterprises (ASISSE) in April 2026.
• Objective: To create a comprehensive database for the incorporated services sector (Trade, IT, Transport, Hospitality, etc.), which contributes over 50% of India’s GDP.
• Scope: Covers approximately 1.21 lakh enterprises registered under the Companies Act (1956/2013) or LLP Act (2008).
• Sampling Frame: Uses the GSTN database as the primary frame for selecting enterprises.
• Data Ecosystem: ASISSE completes the trilogy of non-agricultural surveys alongside ASI (Manufacturing) and ASUSE (Unincorporated sector).
• User Guide: MoSPI released “Know Your Survey,” a reader-friendly explainer to improve data quality, transparency, and ease of compliance for respondents.

1. Strategic Importance of the Survey

The services sector is the backbone of the Indian economy, yet it lacked a dedicated, high-frequency database for its incorporated segment similar to the manufacturing sector.

• Reference Period: The first survey (2026) will cover the financial year 2024-25.
• Coverage: All States and Union Territories.
• Key Sectors: Trade, Transport, Hospitality, IT, Education, Health, and other professional services.

2. The Statistical Trilogy

With the launch of ASISSE, the National Statistical Office (NSO) now has a structured framework to capture the entire non-agricultural economy:

Survey Name	Target Sector	Status
ASI (Annual Survey of Industries)	Registered Manufacturing	Long-standing survey
ASUSE (Annual Survey of Unincorporated Sector Enterprises)	Unincorporated Non-Agricultural units	Active
ASISSE (Annual Survey of Incorporated Services Sector Enterprises)	Registered/Incorporated Service Firms	Launched 2026

3. Methodology and Compliance

• Sampling: The survey leverages the GSTN (Goods and Services Tax Network) database to identify and sample enterprises, ensuring high accuracy in the sampling frame.
• Digital-First Approach: Data collection is conducted via a secure web-based portal to ensure efficiency and data security.
• Legal Framework: Conducted under the Collection of Statistics Act, 2008 (as amended in 2017) and the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023.

4. “Know Your Survey” User Guide

To foster a better relationship with data providers and users, NSO released a specialized guide. This document is designed to:

• Promote Transparency: Explains survey objectives, concepts, and definitions in simple language.
• Ease of Compliance: Addresses FAQs and clarifies reporting requirements to reduce the “survey burden” on enterprises.
• Global Alignment: Adopts international best practices in statistical communication to build public trust.

5. Impact on Policymaking

The indicators generated (operational and economic) will serve as critical inputs for:

• National Accounts: Improving the estimation of Gross Value Added (GVA).
• Evidence-Based Policy: Designing targeted interventions for specific service sub-sectors.
• Economic Analysis: Providing researchers and policymakers with granular, reliable data on corporate service trends.

3. Advancing India’s Fisheries Sector: Analysis

Source: PIB

Summary

• Record Growth: Fish production doubled from 95.79 lakh tonnes (FY 2013-14) to 197.75 lakh tonnes (FY 2024-25), a 106% increase.
• Budgetary Support: The Union Budget 2026-27 allocated ₹2,761.80 crore, the highest-ever for the sector, with ₹2,500 crore dedicated to PMMSY.
• Global Standing: India is the 2nd largest fish producer, contributing ~8% to global output; fisheries account for 7.43% of Agricultural GVA.
• Financial Inclusion: 4.39 lakh fishers are covered under Kisan Credit Cards (KCC); the lending limit for fisheries was raised from ₹2 lakh to ₹5 lakh.
• Digital Transformation: The National Fisheries Digital Platform (NFDP) has registered over 30.60 lakh stakeholders to streamline credit and insurance.
• Infrastructure: 225 projects worth ₹6,685.78 crore approved under FIDF, including fishing harbours and cold-chain units.

1. Production & Export Performance

The fisheries sector has transitioned from traditional practices to a technology-driven value chain, becoming a major pillar of the Blue Economy.

• Total Production: 197.75 lakh tonnes (FY 2024-25).
• Export Earnings: ₹62,408 crore (FY 2024-25), with frozen shrimp as the leading commodity.
• Employment: Generated approximately 74.66 lakh direct and indirect jobs since 2014-15.

2. Key Government Schemes & Interventions

Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY)

The flagship scheme for focused and sustainable development.

• Modern Technology: Approved 12,081 RAS (Recirculatory Aquaculture System) units and 4,205 Bio-floc units to promote water-efficient, high-density farming.
• Infrastructure: Supports the development of 6,896 fish retail markets, 52,058 reservoir cages, and 634 value-added enterprise units.

Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah-Yojana (PM-MKSSY)

A ₹6,000 crore sub-scheme (2023-27) focusing on:

• Formalization: Bringing unorganized fishers into the formal economy.
• Insurance: Extending coverage to 3.3 million beneficiaries.
• Traceability: Improving quality standards for international markets.

Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF)

• Extended until March 2026.
• Provides interest subvention of up to 3% and credit guarantees to encourage private investment in harbours and processing plants.

3. Modern Aquaculture Technologies

To maximize production in limited spaces, PMMSY promotes two specific resource-efficient models:

Technology	Mechanism	Benefit
RAS	Filters and reuses water continuously.	High density, low land/water use.
Bio-floc	Uses microbes to turn waste into fish feed.	Cost-effective, eco-friendly feed conversion.

4. Digital Governance & Data-Driven Planning

• National Fisheries Digital Platform (NFDP): Launched in 2024, it provides work-based digital IDs and acts as a single-window for loans and subsidies.
• Marine Fisheries Census 2025: Uses georeferenced tools (VyAS apps) to create detailed socio-economic profiles of 50 lakh community members for better targeting of welfare schemes.

5. Sustainable Governance & Marine Resources

With a coastline of 11,099 km and an EEZ of 24 lakh sq. km, the government is prioritizing “Life Below Water” (SDG 14):

• Sustainable Harnessing Rules (2025): New regulatory framework for the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and High Seas.
• Duty-Free Status: Catch landed abroad and treated as exports now receives duty-free status to boost global competitiveness.
• Reservoir Development: Integration of fisheries in 500 reservoirs and 1,222 Amrit Sarovars to boost inland livelihoods.

6. Conclusion

The shift toward capital-intensive investments and digital formalization is turning India’s fisheries into a resilient, globally competitive sector. The 2026-27 budgetary boost ensures that infrastructure, especially in deep-sea fishing and modern aquaculture, remains the primary engine for rural economic stability.