The Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying (MoFAHD) under the flagship scheme namely Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) provides financial assistance for setting up of Fish Farmers Producer Organizations (FFPOs) to economically empower the fishers and fish farmers and enhance their bargaining power. The financial support provided under the PMMSY to each FFPOs primarily includes cost of formation, management, training and skill development and equity grant. The Department through Small Farmers Agri-Business Consortium of Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoAFW), Government of India, assisted for setting up of 5 FFPOs in the states of Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh on pilot basis under the erstwhile Centrally Sponsored Scheme Blue Revolution-Integrated Development and Management of Fisheries and these 5 FFPOs have already been registered. Further, the Department under PMMSY has accorded approval to the proposal of National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) for setting up of 70 FFPOs, at a total cost of Rs.37.80 crore during the financial year 2020-21. The state wise details are at Annexure-I. Besides, approval has also been accorded to the proposal of National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) for setting up of 22 FFPOs, at total cost of Rs. 10 crore under the aforesaid scheme during 2020-21.

This information was given by The Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying Shri. Parshottam Rupala in the Lok Sabha in a written reply today.

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MV/MG