Parshottam Rupala, Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying inaugurated the Exhibition on Fisheries Startups at the historic city of Mahabalipuram on Monday. The exhibition serves the platforms to around 12 exceptional startups across the country, highlighting the best amongst fisheries innovators. The Exhibition was held as part of the National Fish Farmer Day Meet 2023.
The gathering was welcomed by Sagar Mehra, Joint Secretary at the beginning of the event followed by the display of the achievements by Department of Fisheries and the virtual Inauguration of 176 Fisheries Projects covering 20 States/UTs across the country worth of Rs. 138.13 Cr supported by under PMMSY Scheme of DoF, GoI by Shri Parshottam Rupala.
These projects had an impact on around 15,000 beneficiaries at grass root level covering 20 States/UTs. Further, Shri Parshottam Rupala, and other dignitaries virtually interacted with beneficiaries such as fish farmers, fishermen present at the event.
Beneficiaries from different States/UTs shared their field level experiences with Shri Parshottam Rupala, and highlighted their issues as well as appraised for the tremendous contribution that PMMSY scheme and KCC has been introduced in the life of fishermen and fish farmers.
Beneficiaries across the country who interacted with the Union Minister included Shri Subodh Das from Assam, Shri Vivek Kumar from Bihar, Shri Panchram from Chhattisgarh, Department of Fisheries from Himachal Pradesh (non-beneficiary interaction), Smt. Nishita Kumari Singh from Jharkhand, Shri Manja Naik from Visakhapatnam, Smt. M.Sujatha Rani from Karnataka, Department of Fisheries from Nagaland (non-beneficiary interaction), Shri Tage Richo from Arunachal Pradesh, Smt. Seema Avinash Agade from Maharashtra, Smt. Sushila from Haryana, Smt. Bindiya Gaonkar from Goa and Shri Kailash Chandra Bhatt from Uttarakhand.
The Department of Fisheries launched the Fisheries Startup Grand Challenge in partnership with Startup India hub and DPIIT to identify, reward and recognize startups creating exceptional impact in the fisheries ecosystem. The challenge received applications from 121 startups across the problem statements. After a rigorous analysis, 12 startups were selected as winners of the challenge.
Rupala felicitated the winners of the Fisheries Startup Grand Challenge. The selected startups under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana were provided with a cash award of INR 2 lakhs to help them to continue building their innovations.
Winners included i) Dharshan Kumar from Dhya Innovations Pvt Ltd, ii) Nilay Shah from Optify Industrial Solution Pvt Ltd, iii) Rajamanohar Sohasundram from Coastal Aquaculture Research Institute, iv) Dr. Sumit Saxena from Heal Venture from Healventure Bioscience LLP, v) Priyankar Shivhari from Innoweave Biocare Pvt Ltd, vi) Jeyavishu K from Analytica Chimica Pvt Ltd, vii) Devleena Bhatacharjee from Number 8 Analytics, viii) Amit Panda from Blackboat Technologies Pvt Ltd, ix) Tanay Tapke from The Fish Wheel, x) Siddharth Banerjee from Cosine Labs Pvt Ltd, xi) Dr Sudipta Sarjkar from Wastearn Pvt Ltd and Mrutyunjaya Sahu from Bariflo Labs Pvt Ltd.
National Fish Farmers Day Meet 2023 is an occasion for the entire country to recognize fishers and fish farmers’ enormous contributions and commitment to sustainable development of fisheries.