New Delhi: The Centre on Thursday said women have been placed at the core of its Blue Economy strategy under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), with enhanced financial assistance and targeted initiatives aimed at strengthening the livelihoods of women engaged in coastal fisheries, including those in Andhra Pradesh.
In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, Union Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh (Lalan Singh) said women are recognised as a priority beneficiary group under PMMSY and are eligible for up to 60% government financial assistance for beneficiary-oriented activities, compared to 40% for the general category.
The minister said the enhanced assistance covers a wide range of fisheries and aquaculture activities, including deep-sea fishing vessels, seaweed cultivation, ornamental fisheries, paddy-cum-fish culture, cage culture, fish processing, value addition and marketing, with the objective of promoting livelihood diversification and economic resilience among fisherwomen.
According to the Andhra Pradesh government, the Andhra Pradesh Fishermen Cooperative Federation (AFCOF) has launched an initiative to strengthen women-led cooperatives by facilitating the formation of Fish Farmer Producer Organisations (FFPOs) across the state, including Nellore. The programme is designed to improve access to financial assistance, infrastructure, capacity building and benefits available under PMMSY and the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah-Yojana (PM-MKSSY).
The Centre said 66 women fisher workers’ cooperatives in Andhra Pradesh have been registered or converted into FFPOs. A total of ₹69.11 lakh has been released to 10 FFPOs towards management costs and equity grants to strengthen their operations and financial base.
In Nellore district, six fisherwomen cooperative societies have been converted into FFPOs, while one FFPO has received a one-time grant of ₹90,000, the minister said.
The government said the initiatives are aimed at enhancing women’s participation in the fisheries sector while promoting inclusive growth and sustainable development under India’s Blue Economy framework.
