The Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying (MoFAH&D), organized the Fisheries Startup Conclave 2.0 in Hyderabad, Telangana, to foster innovation and growth in the fisheries sector.

 

The event was graced by Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Hon’ble Union Minister, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying (MoFAH&D) and Ministry of Panchayati Raj, along with Prof. S.P. Singh Baghel, Hon’ble Minister of State, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying (MoFAH&D) and Ministry of Panchayati Raj. Prof. Ramesh Chand, Member, NITI Aayog, Government of India, and Shri Shyam Singh Rana, Hon’ble Minister – Fisheries, Haryana, also attended the event, along with Dr. Abhilaksh Likhi, Secretary, Department of Fisheries, Government of India.

During the event, Hon’ble Union Minister Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh launched the National Fisheries Digital Platform (NFDP) Mobile Application, developed under PM-MKSSY. Now available on the Google Play Store, the app provides a seamless interface for startups to access various modules and scheme benefits.

 

Additionally, the Union Minister also unveiled the Fisheries Startup Grand Challenge 2.0, with an earmarked fund of ₹1 crore to promote technological advancements in fisheries and allied sectors. Ten winning startups will receive financial incentives and incubation support to develop innovative solutions for enhancing production, efficiency, and sustainability in fisheries and aquaculture.

Addressing the event, Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh highlighted that the role of startups is very important for development of the fisheries sector and also to the Indian economy. He said Startups are instrumental in employment creation particularly for youth hence GoI is committed and forthcoming in supporting the startups in all possible ways. On this occasion he urged startups to come forward and contribute in the fields of value addition for enhancing exports, advanced technology solutions, island development of Andaman and Nicobar(A&N ) and Lakshadweep for harnessing the tuna potential, upgradation of vessels for high sea & deep sea fishing with onboard processing units etc.

The Union Minister encouraged startups to participate in Fisheries Startup Grand Challenge 2.0, aimed at fostering healthy competition and driving technical innovations in the sector. He also urged them to leverage the benefits of government schemes such as the Fisheries Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF) and Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah-Yojana (PM-MKSSY) to support their growth and development.

During the event Union Minister distributed Entrepreneur Model approvals under PMMSY to 8 selected fisheries startups/entrepreneur/FFPOs with total project cost of Rs 33.46 Crores for recognizing their pioneering projects in aquaculture, value chain modernization, and sustainable fisheries. The awardees are Santokh Singh Awatar Singh, Madhya Pradesh for construction of rearing, new grow-out ponds and biofloc tank for freshwater fish culture, M. R. Aquatech, Odisha for manufacturing of FRP carp hatchery, water tank, boat and aquarium tanks, PVR Aqua Producer Co Ltd., Uttar Pradesh for carp fish culture & live fish sale, Krishna Nareshbhai Dhimmar, Gujarat for integrated fishflow, M/s. Mandal Manit Aqua Genetics Technology Research Private Limited, Chhattisgarh for establishment of genetic improvement center for Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), M/s Aussco India Marine Products Pvt Ltd., Gujarat for transforming the conventional shrimp farming into a sustainable super intensive- precision farming model, Ms. Vineesha Valsaraj, Andhra Pradesh for production of pathogen free sand worms and M/s Sanjivani Matsya Vikas Society, Maharashtra for establishment of new freshwater finfish hatchery for medium Biofloc tank, mini fish feed mill (2 T/day) and a seed & brood fish transportation vehicle.

On occasion of International Women’s Day, Prof. S.P. Singh Baghel, Hon’ble Minister of State, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying (MoFAH&D) and Ministry of Panchayati Raj, encouraged all women entrepreneurs to come forward and become an integral part of the 300+ fisheries startup ecosystem.

Prof. Ramesh Chand, Member of NITI Aayog, emphasized the need to promote startups, stating that the future will be driven by ideas and technology disruptions. He urged startups to focus on value addition to boost exports of processed fish, streamline the supply chain, reduce costs for consumers, and increase producer revenues.Dr. Abhilaksh Likhi, Secretary, Department of Fisheries, emphasized the government’s efforts to support fisheries startups. He praised startup participation in the Matsya Manthan series for promoting awareness of emerging technologies. He urged research institutes to commercialize innovations and support all startups, including those in early stages or uncertified.Dr. George Ninan, Director, ICAR-CIFT, highlighted ICAR’s support for startups in licensing, incubation, prototyping, and commercialization through its eight research institutes. Key focus areas include fish processing equipment, solar-powered boats, value addition, responsible fishing gear, climate-smart aquaculture, nutrient-rich feeds, and nanotechnology applications.

 

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