Primary fisheries Co-operative societies

The Government, on 15.02.2023, has approved the Plan for strengthening cooperative movement in the country and deepening its reach up to the grassroots by establishing new multipurpose PACS or primary dairy/ fishery cooperative societies in uncovered  Panchayat/ village of the country in the next five years, through convergence of various GOI schemes, including the following schemes of the Department of Fisheries, Government of India:

1. Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY)- PMMSY aims to address critical gaps in fish production, productivity, quality, technology, post harvest infrastructure and management, modernization and strengthening of value chain. Under the scheme, beneficiaries are eligible for financial assistance of up to 40 % to 60% of the total project cost/unit cost.
2. Fisheries & Aquaculture Infrastructure Fund (FIDF)- FIDF aims to create infrastructural facilities, both in marine and inland fisheries sector. The scheme entails construction of ice plants, development of cold storages, fish transport and cold chain network infrastructure, setting up of brood banks, development of hatcheries, fish processing units, fish feed mills/plants and development of modern fish markets. The projects under FIDF are eligible for an interest subvention of 3% per annum for development of above mentioned infrastructural facilities.

This plan for setting up of new primary cooperative societies, including fisheries cooperative societies is being implemented by NCDC with the support of National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB), National Level Cooperative Federations and State Governments.

The plan would provide small and marginal farmers, including marginal fishermen engaged in fish production, with requisite forward and backward linkages, skill development, processing & cold chain infrastructure facilities, thus enabling them to increase their incomes. By availing the benefits under the schemes identified for convergence, marginal fisherman will be able to modernize/upgrade and setup various fisheries and aquaculture related infrastructural facilities which would help them in improving their productivity.

This was stated by the Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha today.