The Odisha govt. has signed an agreement with IFFCO Kisan Sanchar for provision of mobile advisory services to fishermen in the state.
The scheme is expected to cost about Rs. 3.5 crore in 2013-14. Lakhs of fishermen in both coastal and non-coastal areas will benefit from the scheme.
Knowledgeable sources say the scheme will ensure fishermen’s rapid and timely access to information in the Odia language on the latest weather conditions, likely fishing areas, fishing conservation and farming.
The fishermen will not pay any additional costs towards services provided by the IFFCO Kisan Sanchar, sources confirm.
The registered fishermen will access a helpline and avail themselves of expert advice on messages received. An impact study of the scheme will be undertaken in the months ahead.
Readers could recall that IKSL was one of the few things which caught US President Obama’s attention during his visit to India as he vowed to repeat the experiment in America.