Parshottam Rupala Launches Annual Capacity Building Plan of Dept of Fisheries at New Delhi

Parshottam Rupala, Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying, officially launched the Annual Capacity Building Plan (ACBP) of the Department of Fisheries on September 20. The event took place in New Delhi and was attended by several dignitaries, including Minister of State, Dr. L. Murugan, Member Admn, CBC, Praveen Pardeshi, Secretary, Dr. Abhilaksh Likhi, Joint Secretary, Sagar Mehra, and other senior officers from the Department of Fisheries, CBC, and the State of Gujarat.

Minister Parshottam Rupala stressed the importance of identifying and addressing the capacity-building needs of officers and staff within the Department of Fisheries. He highlighted the significance of developing an action plan that would empower them to better fulfill the department's priorities.

Minister Rupala also underscored that the ACBP's implementation would play a pivotal role in improving service delivery, facilitating program implementation, and enhancing the overall performance of essential government functions. The program aims to boost the skills and competencies of officials by providing them with basic training.

Minister of State, Dr. L. Murugan, emphasized the plan's relevance in light of the adoption of new technologies in the fisheries sector. He noted that India has several fisheries institutes where technological innovations are vital for the industry's growth, making the ACBP instrumental in this regard.

Dr. Abhilaksh Likhi, Secretary of the Department of Fisheries, highlighted the ACBP's importance in meeting capacity-building needs related to functional, behavioral, and domain knowledge competencies. He mentioned that the plan would facilitate a transition from a rules-based system to a roles-based system.

Praveen Pardeshi, Member Admin CBC, provided an in-depth presentation on the Annual Capacity Building Plan, offering detailed insights into the training modules required at various levels of officials within the Department of Fisheries.

To ensure the successful implementation and sustainability of the ACBP, a dedicated Capacity Building Unit (CBU) has been established within the department. A budgetary allocation of 2.5% of the salary head of the department has been earmarked for the plan's implementation. The CBU will prioritize the training needs of department employees, with training sessions available in both online and offline modes.

The Capacity Building Commission has identified institutes and knowledge partners to impart training to department employees, and the department will assess the impact of these training programs to gauge the effectiveness of the ACBP.