District-Level Awareness Programme on PMMSY/FIDF/LIFIC Held at Karfectar, Namchi District
Publish Date : 19/03/2025
Namchi, March 19 (IPR): A joint District-Level Awareness Programme on the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF), and Livelihood and Income for Fishermen in Communities (LIFIC) was organised by the Department of Fisheries, Government of Sikkim, in collaboration with NCDC-LINAC Regional Training Centre, Kolkata at Karfectar, Namchi district, today.
The event was graced by the presence of Mr Madan Cintury MLA cum Advisor as the Chief Guest. He was accompanied by Mr C B Shankar Zilla Up-Adakshya Soreng, Mr Biren Chandra Rai Advisor SBS, Ms Roshni Rai,Secretary Fisheries Department, Mr Rupen Lamichaney (AGM NABARD), Mr Nilanjan Sinha (Regional Director NCDC), Mr Snahangshu Goswami (Director NCDC),officers and staff of the Fisheries Department.
In his address, MLA Mr Madan Cintury praised the vision of Chief Minister Mr Prem Singh Tamang for promoting self-sufficiency through entrepreneurial schemes. He highlighted the department’s efforts in organising the awareness programme and urged the youth to take advantage of such schemes to become self-reliant.
He also emphasized the state’s potential for fish-farming and encouraged beneficiaries to be proactive in leveraging available schemes for future independence.
Ms Roshni Rai, Secretary Fisheries Department, provided insights into the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), outlining how beneficiaries have been provided with subsidised loans to support fish-farming activities.
She also discussed the role of financial institutions like NABARD and NCDC in assisting fish farmers with their financial needs.
Further, she stressed the importance of forming cooperative societies to support the fish-farming community in the future and urged everyone to make optimal use of financial grants available to them.
Mr Snahangshu Goswami, Director of NCDC, expressed gratitude to the Fisheries Department for their collaboration in hosting the programme.
He emphasized the potential of the state’s fish-farming sector and encouraged the formation of cooperatives, which would further benefit the sector. He stated that with the right infrastructure, fish farming in Sikkim could see significant growth in the coming years.
Mr Rupen Lamichaney, AGM of NABARD, elaborated on the financial support provided to fish farmers through subsidised loans. He assured that the agency would closely monitor the utilisation of these loans and shared the process of applying for financial assistance, including loan tenure and repayment guidelines.
The technical session featured presentations by Mr Snahangshu Goswami, Director of NCDC, on the workings of the agency and how it facilitates the beneficiaries in accessing various benefits of the schemes.
Mr Youraj Sharma, Assistant Director of the Fisheries Department, also presented on the diverse fish species found in Sikkim.
The session was interactive, with participants raising concerns and queries regarding fish production and export wherin the department’s officers attended their queries and provided valuable insights to the audience.
During the programme, a video showcasing the successful implementation of the PMMSY scheme in Sikkim was presented. Additionally, a video on the National Fisheries Digital Platform was shared, providing further information on digital advancements in the fisheries sector.