Under the Welfare Activities, FISHCOPFED implements the most acclaimed Centrally Sponsored Group Accident Insurance Scheme for active fishermen in collaboration with the concerned state and UT fishery departments throughout the country. The Centrally Sponsored Group Accident Insurance Scheme was announced by Late Smt. Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India and started since 1982. Under this scheme, 50% of the premium is subsidized by the Central Government and remaining 50% is borne by the State Government and for the North Eastern states 75% of the premium is subsidized by the Central Government. In case of UTs. 100% of the premium is subsidized by the Central Government. The Scheme provides for 24 hours accident cover amounting to INR2,00,000/- against death/permanent disability and INR100,000/- against permanent ( Partial) disability due to accident against an annual premium of INR20.34/-. Around 46.74 lakh fishers are covered under the Scheme covering 24 States and 4 UTs.
FISHCOPFED always is making its efforts to train & educate the fishers of the country. With a view to enhance fish production and generate employment among the fishers and get them better return for their produce/catch, FISHCOPFED has provided training to over 20,000 fishers on various aspects of fisheries and cooperatives with the funding support of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India, National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB), Hyderabad, IFFCO, New Delhi and NABARD during the last five years.
Under the marketing activities FISHCOPFED undertakes the following though its Seven RO/Unit offices and Head Office.
FISHCOPFED is always thinking about to help the member institutions by way of to provide computers, to implement the project of Fresh Water Aquaculture in joint venture, to help in inter-state marketing etc. Under this process computers have been provided to member institutions and this process will continue in future also subject to availability of funds.
Fishery in India is an important part of our economy. There are over 15 thousand primary fisheries cooperative societies having membership of over 22 lakh fishers in the country, who are socially, economically and educationally backward. They need skill up-gradation to enable themselves to use at least medium technology in the field of fisheries and also need education for their Managers/members of fishermen cooperatives to run their societies smoothly in a viable way. Therefore, there is an immense scope and need to help them by giving them identification in the mainstream of social strata. In many states there is no exact census of fishers. It has been observed that there are many unidentified and unorganized fishers in the country who are deprived of the benefits of various schemes sanctioned by the Government of India as well as the State Governments. Our objective is to organize them.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying & Fisheries, Government of India had assigned a task to collect the data of primary fisheries cooperatives alongwith the details of their status, membership and facilities available with these cooperatives. FISHCOPFED took the challenge and completed nationwide survey of primary fisheries cooperatives. The computerized data report has also been prepared. FISHCOPFED is also preparing to conduct survey of State/district level fisheries cooperative as well as data of ponds/reservoirs.
FISHCOPFED publishes bilingual quarterly journal namely “FISHCOOPS” carrying up to date information on fishery technology as well as trends. The journal is a source of knowledge about technology and the scheme of the Central as well as State Governments oriented to the development, promotion and welfare of fishers, besides several allied subjects, news on fisheries cooperatives, fish for health, fish delicacies etc. The journal has a Hindi section too for the benefit of Hindi speaking segment as effective means of publicity among its readers.
Besides that, FISHCOPFED publishes one quarterly journal namely “Minaloka” in Odia language. Both the journals are circulated to members of fisheries cooperatives free of cost.
Organization of Congress/Conferences/Workshops on insurance, fish marketing, value addition and processing, cooperative management etc.
Research studies on fisheries cooperative marketing system and staus of fishery cooperatives in India;
Dissemination of information pertaining to export of fish, fishery products through cooperatives;
Service to member institutes in formulation of fishery projects, interstate marketing etc.