National Roll-out Plan for Vessel Communication and Support System

Category: Government Schemes → Fisheries → Space Technology

What is VCSS?

VCSS = Vessel Communication and Support System

It is an indigenous satellite-based communication system developed with technical support from ISRO.

National Roll-out

The Government approved a national rollout covering approximately 1 lakh marine fishing vessels.

Cost

Approximately ₹364 crore.

Major Functions

  • Vessel tracking

  • Two-way communication

  • SOS/emergency messages

  • Weather alerts

  • Cyclone warnings

  • No-Fishing-Zone alerts

  • International Maritime Boundary Line alerts

  • Geo-fencing

  • Potential Fishing Zone advisories

Nabhmitra

The system is integrated with Nabhmitra, an application designed to support marine fishers.

UPSC Key Pointers

VCSS → ISRO → fishing vessels → satellite communication → Nabhmitra