The Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) is a flagship scheme of the Government of India designed to enhance the overall growth of the fisheries sector. One of the key objectives of PMMSY is to empower the marginalized groups such as women in the fisheries sector. Accordingly, women beneficiaries are provided with 60% financial assistance under beneficiaries oriented activities of the PMMSY. Under PMMSY, during the last four Financial Years (2020-21 to 2023-24) and current FY (2024-25), a total of Rs. 3049.91 crore worth of projects have been sanctioned, covering a total of 56,850 women beneficiaries including 11,642 women beneficiaries of Tamil Nadu State. Seaweed farming is being promoted in a mission mode in Tamil Nadu which is supported under PMMSY through financial, marketing and logistical support to ensure income and welfare gains to small fisher population especially women and fisherwomen headed households.

Women beneficiaries play a vital role in the fisheries value chain, and the PMMSY is designed to provide them with financial assistance and support. Women beneficiaries are availing financial assistance across various sectors and activities, including aquaculture such as fish farming, hatcheries, seaweed farming, bivalve cultivation, ornamental fisheries, fish processing, and marketing, etc. The wide range of activities ensures that women have the opportunity to participate in different aspects of the fisheries value chain, from production to post-harvest management.

Training and capacity-building programs have been imparted to women under PMMSY. The projects are approved based on proposals received from the states and include initiatives aimed at enhancing women's participation in the fisheries sector, providing them with the resources needed for entrepreneurship, training, skill development and livelihood generation through various activities under PMMSY. The National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) has conducted workshop and training programs to the women beneficiaries under Entrepreneurship Model on Women Entrepreneurship to encourage start-ups, and develop entrepreneurship business models in an integrated and innovative approach. More than 5,000 women beneficiaries have been trained under various training programs organized by the NFDB through various institutes, universities and colleges in the country.

Under Entrepreneur Model of PMMSY (Central Sector) women are being supported with financial assistance up to 60% of the total project cost, with a subsidy limit of Rs.1.50 crore on ceiling limit of total project cost Rs.5.00 crore. The projects that are approved and implemented under PMMSY are monitored by District level officials of State to ensure effective utilization and outcome of the scheme. Besides, the implementation of the scheme and its funds utilization are also being monitored by obtaining physical and financial progress reports from the State Governments. The different components provided under PMMSY ensure that women of marginalized and rural communities, who are often engaged in small-scale fisheries and aquaculture are able to contribute significantly in production to post-harvest management, which has helped in empowering the women by improving their livelihood and socio-economic conditions.

This information was given by the Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

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