Speed Post News Network
New Delhi : Union Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying Minister Parshottam Rupala on November 16, 2021, inaugurated the country’s first-of-its kind dedicated business incubator to be known as LINAC- NCDC Fisheries Business Incubation Centre (LlFlC) at Gurugram in Haryana costing Rs. 3.23 crore to nurture fisheries start-ups under real market-led conditions.
Stating that the Centre will serve as a ‘milestone’ in future for the fisheries sector which is being given a big push under the central flagship Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) launched last year by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rupala said that the incubation unit will provide handholding such as training, converting entrepreneurial ideas into business models, and doling out seed money to the new as well as existing business entrepreneurs keen to make big in the segment, according to a PIB release.
To begin with, the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC), an implementing agency for the LIFIC, has identified the first batch of ten incubatees from four states—Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra. Out of them, 6 are from newly-created Fish Farmers Producer Organisations with the support of the financial grant under the PMMSY.
“Unlike in dairy sector, cooperative societies are yet to make their presence felt in the fisheries segment. That is why a separate Ministry of Cooperation has been established so that cooperatives in various sectors including fisheries get a boost and help attain the Prime Minister’s vision of achieving Atmanirbhata (self-reliance). Also, in this direction, we will soon start a drive to provide credit cards on the line of Kisan Credit Cards (KCCs) to the fishermen and those involved in the livestock business as well,” Rupala said.
Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Dr L Murugan said that the Centre would ensure that the fisheries sector does not function business as usual but help push the income of the stakeholders. He enlisted various innovative steps taken for the first time including setting up of the fisheries incubation centre under the guidance of the Prime Minister for all round development of the society.
“Fisheries is a sunrise industries in India, growing at 7 percent rate annually. The Prime Minister has set a goal of 22 million tonnes of fish production and export to the tune of Rs one lakh crore by 2025. It is a very tall order to be achieved within next four years given that presently, fish production is 130 lakh tones and export worth Rs 46,000 crore,” Muguran said.