New Delhi, March 9 Startups are instrumental in employment creation, particularly for youth, and the government is committed in supporting the startups in all possible ways, Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Rajiv Ranjan Singh, has said.
Singh highlighted that the role of startups is very important for development of the fisheries sector and also to the Indian economy.
During an event in Hyderabad, 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 and Lakshadweep for harnessing the tuna potential, upgradation of vessels for high sea and deep sea fishing with onboard processing units, etc.
Singh also 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 Rs 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.
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 eight selected fisheries startups/entrepreneur/FFPOs with total project cost of Rs 33.46 crore for recognising their pioneering projects in aquaculture, value chain modernisation and sustainable fisheries.
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