The Impressive TimesHyderabad – Hyderabad witnessed a major national-level workshop on Fisheries Cooperative Societies on Thursday, organised under the vision of “Sahkar Se Samriddhi” being promoted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah. The event focused on strengthening the cooperative model in the fisheries sector and boosting economic opportunities for fishermen and rural communities across India.
The workshop was part of a nationwide campaign aimed at expanding cooperative-led fisheries development and encouraging stronger collaboration among cooperative institutions. Similar regional consultations have already been conducted in Mizoram and Jaipur.
Senior officials from several state governments, fisheries institutions, cooperative bodies, banks and development organisations participated in the discussions. Representatives from the Department of Fisheries and the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) also joined the sessions virtually and physically to discuss implementation strategies and future planning.
During the inaugural address, Secretary of the Ministry of Cooperation Dr. Ashish Kumar Bhutani highlighted the crucial role of fisheries cooperatives in creating jobs, strengthening rural incomes and supporting sustainable development. He stressed that technology adoption, easier access to finance, stronger market connections and modern cooperative systems are essential for the long-term growth of the sector.
He also said that after the creation of the Ministry of Cooperation, focused efforts are being made to build a stronger institutional network for fisheries cooperatives, especially to support fishermen, women entrepreneurs and rural families linked to the fisheries value chain. According to him, regular state-level review workshops will help ensure better implementation and monitoring of government schemes.
Union Fisheries Secretary Dr. Abhilaksh Likhi spoke about the rapid growth opportunities available in India’s fisheries sector. He emphasised the importance of innovation, startup ecosystems, modern infrastructure and digital connectivity in strengthening fisheries cooperatives and improving market access for fishermen communities.
The workshop featured multiple technical sessions covering issues such as formation of new fisheries cooperative societies, revival of inactive societies, institutional credit support, insurance coverage and expansion under government schemes like PMMSY and PM-MKSSY.
Experts and officials also discussed modern fisheries technologies including Bio-floc systems, Recirculatory Aquaculture Systems (RAS), reservoir fisheries, ornamental fisheries, open-sea cage culture and seaweed farming. Special focus was placed on women empowerment, fish waste value addition, export opportunities and digital marketing initiatives.
Institutions such as NAFED, NCDC, SFAC and NERAMAC shared presentations on cooperative development models, digital platforms, training programmes and women-led fisheries initiatives. Representatives from several states including Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand also presented successful implementation models and future action plans.
Another important session focused on the government’s plan to strengthen PACS, dairy and fisheries cooperative societies by improving storage infrastructure, expanding membership and increasing institutional credit support through NABARD, NCDC and cooperative banks.
The workshop concluded with a collective resolve to accelerate cooperative-led growth in the fisheries sector and ensure long-term economic empowerment of fisherfolk communities across the country.
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