Government Enhances Grassroots Efforts to Strengthen Fisheries Sector
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Synopsis
The Centre’s Department of Fisheries is launching a nationwide campaign from February 14-22 to facilitate registrations on the National Fisheries Digital Platform (NFDP) for stakeholders to benefit from the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah-Yojana (PMMKSSY), with an allocation of Rs 6,000 crore.
Key Takeaways
- Nationwide registration campaign for fisheries.
- Focus on PMMKSSY benefits for stakeholders.
- Collaboration with various state and national bodies.
- Over 1.7 million registrations on NFDP.
- Goal to enhance fisheries sector sustainability.
New Delhi, Feb 13 (NationPress) The Government’s Department of Fisheries is launching a dedicated nationwide initiative for registrations on the National Fisheries Digital Platform (NFDP), aiming to accelerate registration approvals and gather applications from qualified stakeholders from February 14-22. This will allow them to access various benefits under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah-Yojana (PMMKSSY), as stated in an official announcement made on Thursday.
Stakeholders eligible for this initiative mainly include fishers, fish farmers, vendors, processors, and microenterprises. They can register at these camps on the NFDP to take advantage of the benefits offered by PMMKSSY, which has been allocated Rs 6,000 crore.
This nationwide initiative will encompass both coastal and inland states.
In collaboration with State/UT Fisheries Departments, the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB), and Common Service Centres (CSCs), the campaign aims to set up camps in key fisheries zones and potential areas across the nation. The focus is on speeding up the registration process, enhancing approval rates, and encouraging eligible stakeholders to utilize the numerous benefits of PMMKSSY, such as credit facilitation, aquaculture insurance, and performance grants, as highlighted in the statement.
PMMKSSY, a sub-scheme under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), has been operational since the 2023-2024 fiscal year.
The primary objective is to formalize the fisheries sector, improve access to institutional finance, promote aquaculture insurance, enhance value chain efficiencies, and reinforce fish safety and quality assurance systems.
The NFDP includes specific modules for registration, credit facilitation, strengthening fisheries cooperatives, aquaculture insurance, performance grants, traceability, and training & capacity building.
To date, over 1.7 million registrations have been recorded on the portal. This digital initiative, combined with targeted actions under PMMKSSY, is expected to boost productivity, expand both domestic and global markets, and secure long-term growth for the sector.
By tackling significant challenges such as fragmentation, limited credit access, and low value chain efficiency, PMMKSSY strives to establish a more resilient and sustainable fisheries sector, thereby ensuring improved livelihoods for fishers and fish farmers.
The National Fisheries Digital Platform (NFDP) serves as a vital element of this sub-scheme, facilitating the registration of fishers, fish farmers, vendors, processors, and microenterprises to help integrate them into formal financial systems and government programs.
