Officials asked to create awareness on PMMS Yojana

PNS|Bhimavaram

West Godavari district Collector P Prashanthi directed the officials to create awareness on the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) scheme among the fishermen community in rural areas.

The Collector held review meeting on the implementation of PMMSY scheme with the officials here on Wednesday. Speaking on the occasion, the Collector said that a wide awareness about the benefits of the PMMSY scheme should be created in the fishermen villages and also among the fish sellers.

The Collector advised the officials of DRDA to organise a meeting with the fishermen families in the fishing villages of Toorupu Thalla, Pedda Mainavanilanka, Chinnamainavanilanka, Pallepalem, Gollavanitippa and other villages and help them in granting loans to the needy.

Collector Prashanthi expressed surprise that only 130 applications had been received for PMMSY scheme as the district has a coastal area of 90 km. A large number of beneficiaries should be encouraged to come forward to apply, she told the officials.

“Youth should be encouraged to set up mobile labs. The PMMSY scheme has been introduced with a time limit of five years and various schemes have also been introduced in the PMMSY scheme for the sustainable development of fisheries and benefits to the communities living on fisheries. Under the scheme, 60 percent subsidy will be given to the SC/ST and women and 40 percent subsidy to other communities,” she informed.

The Collector said that fishermen, unemployed youth, fisherwomen, fish and shrimp traders could benefit from the PMMSY scheme, stating that the scheme includes cultivation of cages in sea and reservoirs, cultivation of seaweed (moss), establishment of laboratories, trade of fish through ice boxes on two-wheelers and three-wheelers, transportation of live fish through four-wheelers and establishment of fish retail market hubs under the name of Fish Andhra.

“In addition to increasing the consumption of local fish, efforts should be made to enhance domestic per capita fish consumption. The hub and spokes model schemes should be designed and implemented. Rs 1 crore for the establishment of the hub, Rs 50 lakh to Rs.10 lakh for spokes, Rs 1 lakh to Rs3.50 lakh for the development of various business centres will be extended,” the Collector said.

Collector Prashanthi said that the mini fish outlets under the name of ‘Fish Andhra’ had already been set up in Mainavani Lanka and Mutyalapalli. Steps should be taken to set up similar outlets in other areas as well and start business with fish and shrimp dishes along with the branding partner, she said.

Fisheries JD KSV Nagalingacharyulu, irrigation officer P Nagarjuna Rao, agriculture officer ZP Venkateswara Rao and lead bank manager NVV Ramana were among those who were present.