Madurai, Tamil Nadu: The Department of Fisheries, Government of India, organized the ‘Fisheries Summer Meet 2024’ today in Madurai, Tamil Nadu. This event aimed to hold strategic discussions with States and Union Territories to deliberate on the progress and future directions for the development of the fisheries sector.
Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, and Panchayati Raj, Rajeev Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, virtually inaugurated 321 impactful projects under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY). These projects, with an outlay of Rs. 114 crore, span across 19 States and Union Territories. Ministers of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Prof. S. P. Singh Baghel, and Shri George Kurian were also present on the occasion. The program included live virtual interactions with fishermen and fisherwomen from the inaugural sites, fostering direct engagement and feedback.
An exhibition showcasing various aquaculture technologies such as Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS), BioFloc, and techniques for ornamental fisheries and pearl cultivation was inaugurated by Shri Rajeev Ranjan Singh. The Union Minister also distributed Kisan Credit Cards (KCC), presented PMMSY achievement award letters to beneficiaries, and felicitated Fisheries Farmer Producer Organizations (FFPOs) onboarded on the Open Network Digital Commerce (ONDC). He engaged with entrepreneurs and scientists during a walkthrough of the exhibition, emphasizing the importance of innovation and technology in the fisheries sector.
The Department of Fisheries has provided financial assistance for the formation of 2,195 FFPOs under PMMSY, with around 95 FFPOs already onboarded on the ONDC network. This collaboration with ONDC has brought numerous benefits, including reduced transaction costs, increased market reach, improved transparency, enhanced competitiveness, and employment generation. During the event, six notable FFPOs were felicitated for their contributions to the growth of the fisheries sector: Gorakhpur Kissan Producer Company Limited (Uttar Pradesh), Kapsi Fishery Farmer Producer Company Ltd. (Chhattisgarh), Banmankhi Fish Farmer Company Limited (Bihar), Bastarpearl Fish Farmer Producer Company Limited (Chhattisgarh), Lari Fish Producer Company Ltd. (Uttar Pradesh), and Kondapaka Fisheries Producer Company Limited (Telangana).
Rajeev Ranjan Singh also distributed KCC certificates and PMMSY sanction orders to beneficiaries, recognizing individuals such as Yogeshwari, Suguna, Sindhu, Kalaiyarasi, and Pachaiyammal for their efforts in ornamental fisheries.
The Department of Fisheries and the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying celebrated five years of their creation in 2024. Since its inception, the Department has launched various strategic initiatives to harness the potential of fisheries resources sustainably. Key schemes include Blue Revolution (BR), Fisheries Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF), Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), and the Kisan Credit Card (KCC). The upcoming sub-scheme under PMMSY envisages a cumulative investment of Rs. 38,572 crore to address sectoral gaps and bring structural changes.