Content

1. Museum of Royal Kingdoms of India
2. First fully digitised National Marine Fisheries Census 2025 launched

Museum of Royal Kingdoms of India

Why in News ?

• Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for the Museum of Royal Kingdoms of India on October 30, 2025, at the Statue of Unity, Ekta Nagar, Gujarat.
• Marks the eve of Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day) commemorating Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s birth anniversary.
• Aim: To celebrate India’s royal heritage and inspire future generations with the values of unity, sacrifice, and integration.

Relevance

• GS 1: Indian Heritage and Culture – Art forms, architecture, integration of princely states.
• GS 2: Role of leadership (Sardar Patel) in national integration.
• GS 3: Tourism as an economic and cultural sector.

Basic Facts

• Project Cost: ₹367 crore
• Land Area: 5 acres near Statue of Unity, Ekta Nagar
• No. of Galleries: 4 thematic galleries
• Lead Agency: Ministry of Culture, Government of India
• Theme: “Where Royal Legacies Come Alive”

Core Objectives

• To document, preserve, and display the heritage of India’s princely and royal states.
• To educate the public about India’s political integration post-1947.
• To honour the role of rulers who contributed to India’s unity.
• To serve as a centre of research, conservation, and public learning on India’s regal and democratic traditions.

Historical Context

• Pre-1947: Over 550 princely states and kingdoms existed alongside British India.
• Integration (1947–1949): Led by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and V.P. Menon, achieved peaceful accession through diplomacy and persuasion using the Instrument of Accession.
• Outcome: Political unification laid the foundation for a sovereign, democratic Republic of India.
• The museum symbolically continues Patel’s vision of “Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat.”

Architectural and Design Features

• Landscape Integration: Architecture harmonised with natural surroundings – includes water bodies, fountains, gardens, and courtyards.
• Entry Experience: Modeled after royal gardens, reflecting grandeur and serenity.
• Learning Approach: Inspired by National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 – emphasizes experiential and interactive learning.
• Museum Café: Offers royal cuisines symbolizing India’s culinary diversity.

Thematic Gallery Overview

Educational and Cultural Role

• Acts as an institutional bridge between India’s monarchical past and democratic present.
• Promotes historical literacy among youth using immersive technology (AR/VR, digital archives).
• Encourages academic research on princely states’ governance, culture, and integration.
• Enhances heritage tourism in the Statue of Unity region.

Governance & Policy Alignment

• Linked Initiatives:
  • Rashtriya Ekta Diwas – celebrates national unity and Patel’s legacy.
  • Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav – aligns with 75+ years of India’s independence.
  • NEP 2020 – integrates cultural learning with modern pedagogy.
• Institutional Synergy: Complements National Museum, Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya, and Bharat Mandapam as national heritage hubs.

Broader Significance

• Cultural Diplomacy: Portrays India’s royal diversity as an element of soft power.
• Tourism Impact: Expected to significantly boost visitorship at the Statue of Unity, already India’s top domestic tourist site.
• National Integration Symbol: Reinforces unity in diversity by connecting different royal lineages under one narrative.
• Digital Preservation: Ensures archival protection of manuscripts, textiles, artefacts, and regalia.

Conclusion

• The Museum of Royal Kingdoms of India embodies the fusion of heritage and modernity.
• Serves as a living tribute to India’s journey from fragmented princely states to a united democracy.
• Strengthens Ekta Nagar’s position as a national hub for unity, culture, and legacy tourism.
• Reflects India’s evolving approach to inclusive nation-building through cultural remembrance.

First fully digitised National Marine Fisheries Census 2025 launched

Why in News ?

• Launched: October 31, 2025, at ICAR–CMFRI, Kochi, Kerala.
• Launched by: Shri George Kurian, Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying.
• Significance: Marks the first fully digitised edition of India’s Marine Fisheries Census — a landmark shift towards data-driven fisheries governance.
• Tagline: “Smart Census, Smarter Fisheries.”
• Coverage: Over 1.2 million fisher households in 4,000 marine fishing villages across 9 coastal states and 4 UTs during a 45-day enumeration (Nov 3–Dec 18, 2025).

Relevance

• GS 3: Economy (Blue Economy, Fisheries Sector, Digital Governance).
• GS 2: Governance (e-Governance, Data-driven policymaking).
• GS 1: Geography (Coastal livelihoods, socio-economic census).

Background & Evolution

• Initiated: First conducted in 1973 by ICAR-CMFRI.
• Periodic Exercise: Conducted every 5 years to collect data on the socio-economic and livelihood profile of marine fishers.
• Past Editions: 2005, 2010, 2016 (manual/semi-digital).
• 2025 Edition:
  • First fully digitised census.
  • First to use mobile-based, geo-tagged, real-time data collection tools.
  • Integrated with NFDP (National Fisheries Digital Platform) for seamless registration and governance.

Implementing Agencies

Technological Innovation

• First Fully Digital Marine Census: Enables real-time data capture, validation, and monitoring.
• Two Mobile Applications:
  • VyAS Bharat: Field-level data collection and geo-referencing.
  • VyAS Sutra: Real-time central monitoring, verification, and analytics.
• Benefits:
  • Eliminates manual delays and errors.
  • Enhances transparency, speed, and accuracy.
  • Enables data-driven policy formulation.
• Live Monitoring: Real-time display of data from Kerala and Maharashtra during launch demonstrated centralised dashboard supervision.

Scope & Coverage

• Duration: 45 days (Nov 3–Dec 18, 2025).
• Geographical Reach: 9 coastal states + 4 UTs (including Lakshadweep, Puducherry, Andaman & Nicobar, Daman & Diu).
• Target Coverage:
  • 1.2 million fisher households
  • 4,000 marine fishing villages
  • Thousands of trained enumerators deployed nationwide.

 Integration with NFDP & PM-MKSSY

• NFDP (National Fisheries Digital Platform):
  • A unified national database of fishers, fish farmers, and fish workers.
  • Mandatory registration for availing government benefits.
• PM–Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah-Yojana (PM–MKSSY):
  • Scheme providing financial and livelihood support to registered beneficiaries.
  • NFDP registration is a precondition for benefits.
• Census Role: Ensures automatic digital linkage between enumeration data and NFDP profiles for policy targeting.

 Institutional Alignment

• Parent Scheme: Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) – launched in 2020 to modernize fisheries and enhance income.
• Alignment with Digital India Mission: Promotes e-governance and real-time decision-making in fisheries sector.
• Supports:
  • Blue Economy Vision 2047
  • Marine Spatial Planning
  • Coastal Community Resilience Initiatives

Policy Relevance & Significance

• Data Backbone for Fisheries Management:
  • Provides reliable socio-economic and demographic data of fishing communities.
  • Enables evidence-based allocation of subsidies, insurance, welfare, and infrastructure support.
• Improves Safety & Sustainability:
  • Helps identify active fishermen for transponder installation and turtle excluder device (TED) distribution.
• Supports Climate and Livelihood Planning:
  • Assists in vulnerability mapping of coastal populations to climate change.
  • Supports marine ecosystem management and policy reforms.
• Facilitates Financial Inclusion:
  • Digital profiles linked with government benefit platforms and financial services.

Stakeholders Involved

• Union Government: Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying.
• Research Institutions: ICAR-CMFRI, CIFT, FSI.

Government’s Broader Initiatives for Marine Fisheries

• Transponder Installation: For real-time vessel tracking and safety.
• Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs): Distributed free to promote sustainable fishing and biodiversity protection.
• Capacity Building: Training of enumerators and local officers for digital data collection.
• Fisher Welfare: Inclusion under PMMSY and PM-MKSSY for financial, insurance, and livelihood support.

Key Expected Outcomes

• Creation of nationwide digital fisheries database integrating marine socio-economic, vessel, and ecological data.
• Strengthened governance transparency and policy responsiveness.
• Improved planning for fisheries infrastructure, insurance, subsidies, and sustainability.
• Real-time analytics enabling faster decision-making at central and state levels.
• Contribution to India’s goal of achieving “Sustainable Blue Economy by 2047.”

Challenges Ahead

• Ensuring 100% NFDP registration across fragmented fishing communities.
• Addressing digital literacy gaps among fishers and field staff.
• Maintaining data privacy, cybersecurity, and quality assurance.
• Integrating marine census data with inland fisheries datasets for holistic policy framing.

Conclusion

• MFC 2025 marks a paradigm shift in India’s fisheries governance — from manual enumeration to digitised, real-time, and transparent data systems.
• Strengthens India’s commitment to a resilient, inclusive, and sustainable fisheries sector.
• Serves as a vital instrument for marine livelihood planning, coastal development, and blue economy growth.
• Reinforces India’s transformation toward “Smart Fisheries, Smart Governance.”