Union Budget 2026: Substantial increase in livestock, fisheries outlay

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday (February 1, 2026) announced a series of schemes to strengthen the fisheries and animal husbandry sectors in the Union Budget, with a focus on value-chain development, entrepreneureship and rural employment.

The Budget proposes integrated development of 500 reservoirs and Amrit Sarovars, while steps will be taken to strengthen the fisheries value chain in coastal areas. Market linkages involving start-ups, women-led groups and Fish Farmers Producer Organisations will be enabled to reduce post-harvest losses and improve price realisation.

To provide quality employment opportunities in rural and peri-urban areas, the Minister said the Centre would support the animal husbandry sector in entrepreneurship development through a credit-linked subsidy programme.

Budgetary support for the fisheries sector has been set at ₹2,761.80 crore. The Union Fisheries Ministry said the country has one of the world’s largest networks of inland reservoirs, spanning about 31.5 lakh hectares, offering significant potential for inland fisheries development.

“To address water conservation and livelihood challenges, the Government of India, under the Mission Amrit Sarovar, has developed 68,827 Amrit Sarovars, including 1,222 Sarovars linked to fisheries, supporting fish farming and aquatic biodiversity. The strengthening of the fisheries value chain in coastal areas is a significant intervention, as it seeks to integrate primary producers with processing, marketing and export value chains, reduce post-harvest losses, improve price realisation for fishers, and strengthen last-mile market access,” the Ministry said, adding that around 200 start-ups in the fisheries sector would be supported under the scheme.

The Union Animal Husbandry Ministry received an allocation of ₹ 6153.46 crore, an increase of about 21% over the previous year. “Key provisions in the Budget focus on improving productivity, animal health, and infrastructure across the livestock value chain. Enhanced support has been extended for breed improvement programmes, expansion of veterinary services, and disease prevention initiatives to safeguard farmers’ assets and ensure quality livestock output,” the Ministry said in a statement, welcoming the increase in allocation.

The Budget proposes to increase the availability of veterinary professionals to over 20,000. A credit-linked capital subsidy scheme will be launched for the establishment of private veterinary and para-veterinary colleges, animal hospitals, diagnostic laboratories and breeding facilities. Collaboration between Indian and foreign institutions will also be facilitated, the Ministry said. Supply of cattle feed and cottonseed by primary cooperative societies will now be eligible for tax deduction, while dividend income earned by one cooperative from another will be deductible under the ‘New Tax Regime.’