Managing Director of National Federation of Fishermen’s Cooperatives limited (FISHCOPFED), a global spokesman of the Indian fisheries cooperatives movement, Bimal Kumar Mishra on Tuesday called upon all stakeholders to come forward to strengthen the cooperative movement in fishery sector to improve the quality of life for fishermen by guaranteeing their socioeconomic security.
Stressing on a mass cooperative movement Mishra said fishermen are facing the problem of marketing where the cooperatives can ensure an effective network of marketing system so that the exploitation of fisherman is checked.
He was speaking at a workshop on social security for fishers here. Distributing cheques to the kin of 12 deceased fishermen who were covered under the FISHCOPFED’s Group Accident Insurance Scheme (GAIS), he said insurance alone is not enough; there is need to focus on scientific fishing and model marketing to lend strength to the movement.
Mishra added that the FISHCOPFED wants to increase the scope of insurance for fishing nets, boats and other related items. “We are also in the process of setting up retail outlets to sell fish so that members are not forced to distress sale, besides planning to take reservoirs for fishing purpose,” he said.
Till date, 3.7 million fishers of the country are covered under the GAIS. Sums of `1 lakh against death and permanent total disability and `50,000 against permanent partial disability are provided as insurance.
In Odisha, out of 12 lakh fishermen 10 lakh have been insured under the scheme which is highest for any single State. Odisha is being awarded as a leading State in respect of fishermen’s insurance for the last three years. One lakh more fishermen would be covered under the scheme in 2013-14, informed Mishra. Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Secretary Sanjeev Kumar Mishra assured all help from State Government for benefit of fishermen.