(a) whether the Government is providing any assistance to promote Fish Farmer Producer Organizations (FFPOs);
(b) if so, the details of assistance being provided to the FFPOs including financial assistance; and
(c) the total number of FFPOs registered in the country?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRYAND DAIRYING
(SHRI PARSHOTTAM RUPALA)
(a) and (b): Yes, Sir. The Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying (MoFAHD) under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya SampadaYojana (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 and incubation, management, equity grant and training and skill development.
(c): The Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying through Small Farmers Agri-Business Consortium of Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoAFW), Government of India assisted 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, under PMMSY, the Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying during 2020-21 has accorded approval to the proposal of National Cooperative Development Corporation, MoAFW for setting up of 50 FFPOs at a total cost of Rs.24.50 crore. Besides, approval has also been accorded during 2020-21 to the proposal of National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) for setting up of 22 FFPOs at total cost of Rs. 10 crore under the PMMSY.
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