PMMSY: Establishment of Bio-toilets in Mechanised Fishing Vessels - Gujarat

What is the PMMSY bio-toilet scheme for mechanised fishing vessels?

Establishment of Bio-toilets in Mechanised Fishing Vessels is one activity within the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), the central fisheries scheme launched in 2020 by the Department of Fisheries, Government of India. In Gujarat the activity is implemented by the Commissioner of Fisheries, which works under the Agriculture, Farmer Welfare and Cooperation Department of the Government of Gujarat.

The activity is listed in the PMMSY guidelines under the Development of Deep Sea Fishing group of marine sub-components, alongside support for acquiring deep sea fishing vessels for traditional fishermen and upgradation of existing fishing vessels for export competency. Its purpose is practical: a mechanised fishing vessel on a multi-day trip carries a crew with nowhere to relieve themselves except over the side, and a bio-toilet gives them a sanitary facility on board while keeping untreated waste out of coastal waters.

According to the PMMSY guidelines published by the Commissioner of Fisheries, Gujarat, the activity carries:

• Unit cost: Rs 0.50 lakh per vessel (Rs 50,000).
• Government assistance for general beneficiaries: Rs 0.20 lakh, which is 40% of the unit cost.
• Government assistance for Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and women beneficiaries: Rs 0.30 lakh, which is 60% of the unit cost.

The remaining amount is the beneficiary's own contribution. A general beneficiary therefore puts in Rs 0.30 lakh and an SC, ST or woman beneficiary puts in Rs 0.20 lakh against the same Rs 0.50 lakh unit.

Gujarat is a natural home for this activity. The Commissioner of Fisheries notes that Gujarat ranks first in fishing on India's west coast and contributes roughly 20% of India's total marine production, so the state's mechanised fleet is one of the largest sets of vessels this activity can reach.

Who is eligible for the bio-toilet subsidy in Gujarat?

You can apply if:

• You own a mechanised fishing vessel registered in Gujarat.
• The vessel operates from a marine landing centre in Gujarat and holds a valid fishing licence or permit issued by the state fisheries department.
• You can meet the beneficiary contribution, Rs 0.30 lakh for a general applicant or Rs 0.20 lakh for an SC, ST or woman applicant.
• Your proposal is included in Gujarat's annual PMMSY action plan for the financial year, since PMMSY activities are sanctioned against approved state plans rather than on open demand.

You are not eligible and cannot apply if:

• Your craft is a traditional or motorised vessel rather than a mechanised fishing vessel. PMMSY funds those categories under different activities, such as communication and tracking devices at Rs 0.35 lakh a unit and safety kits at Rs 1.00 lakh a unit, but not under this bio-toilet activity.
• The vessel is not registered or its fishing licence has lapsed.
• You are a crew member rather than the vessel owner. The subsidy attaches to the vessel and is claimed by its owner.
• The bio-toilet has already been funded on the same vessel under another scheme. PMMSY assistance is per unit and is not paid twice for the same installation.

Note that the higher 60% rate is not automatic. It applies specifically to Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and women beneficiaries, and it must be supported by a caste certificate or by ownership records in the woman's own name.

What documents are required?

How to apply for the bio-toilet subsidy

1. Contact the district or regional fisheries office under the Commissioner of Fisheries, Gujarat, and confirm that the bio-toilet activity is included in the state's PMMSY action plan for the current financial year.
2. Collect and complete the PMMSY beneficiary application form for the marine fisheries component, naming the vessel and its registration number.
3. Attach the vessel registration certificate, fishing licence, Aadhaar, bank passbook and a quotation for the bio-toilet unit, and the caste certificate if you are claiming the 60% rate.
4. Submit the file at the district fisheries office and obtain a dated acknowledgement.
5. After the proposal is sanctioned, install the bio-toilet on the vessel and collect the supplier's invoice.
6. Submit the invoice with the installation and completion certificate so the district office can inspect the vessel and verify the fitting.
7. Receive the sanctioned assistance, Rs 0.20 lakh or Rs 0.30 lakh, in your bank account after verification.

The Commissioner of Fisheries publishes the PMMSY guidelines, the amendments and the marine fisheries scheme list on cof.gujarat.gov.in, and those documents are the authoritative reference for the unit cost and share pattern. The department's other online systems at fisheries.gujarat.gov.in cover token management, diesel subsidy and licences rather than PMMSY capital assistance.

How is the money shared between the centre and the state?

PMMSY is a centrally sponsored scheme with a defined share pattern between the Government of India and the state government for the components implemented by states. What the beneficiary sees is the combined government assistance figure, Rs 0.20 lakh or Rs 0.30 lakh against the Rs 0.50 lakh unit. The split of that assistance between central and state funds is handled inside the sanction and does not change what reaches the vessel owner.

How this activity compares with other PMMSY marine support in Gujarat

The bio-toilet activity is one of the smallest units in the PMMSY marine list, which is worth knowing if you are planning a larger investment in the same year. The guidelines published by the Commissioner of Fisheries set these unit costs in the same Development of Deep Sea Fishing and Monitoring, Control and Surveillance groups:

The same 40% and 60% share pattern runs across all of them, so a vessel owner can plan more than one activity in a year provided each is separately sanctioned in the state action plan.

Why bio-toilet claims get rejected

• Vessel not classified as mechanised, which is the most common reason a boat owner is turned away from this specific activity.
• Registration or licence expired at the time of the claim.
• No installation certificate, so the district office cannot confirm that the unit was actually fitted.
• Invoice value or specification inconsistent with the sanctioned proposal.
• Activity not in the year's action plan, or the year's physical target for bio-toilets already exhausted. In that case the proposal is normally carried to the next year's plan rather than rejected on merit.
• Caste certificate absent where the 60% rate was claimed, which usually results in the claim being re-fixed at 40% rather than rejected outright.

Where to raise a grievance

• District or regional fisheries office of the Commissioner of Fisheries, which is the first authority for any PMMSY beneficiary claim.
• Office of the Commissioner of Fisheries, 3rd Floor, Block-10, Jivraj Mehta Bhavan, Gandhinagar.
• Marine fisheries desk: 079-23253749, email marin-fish-gnr@gujarat.gov.in
• Diesel subsidy and recovery desk: 079-23253923, email recovery-fish-gnr@gujarat.gov.in

No fee is payable to any agent to have a PMMSY proposal sanctioned. All assistance is released to the vessel owner's own bank account after physical verification of the installed unit.