FISHFED Online Service launched in Bhubaneswar
Bhubaneswar, Oct 15: The Odisha Government has taken another strong step to facilitate the sale of fisheries products online by launching the FISHFED (Odisha State Fishermen Co-operative Federation) online services at already functional Chilika Fresh outlets. Earlier, the government had launched ChickenFresh online services at OPOLFED outlets.
Fishery department has already initiated steps to set up 26 no of Chilika Fresh outlets in Bhubaneswar in PPP mode and steps are also being taken to set up another 150 such outlets in 30 districts of Odisha. With the launch of online services of FISHFED, consumers in the capital city can order items like – fish, prawn, crabs, other sea foods – online available on the outlets, the officials assure that order items would be delivered within one hour of time after getting order through online portal (www. Chilikafresh.in).
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik dedicated the online services during a workshop organized here by Fisheries & Animal Resources Development Department on Thursday. The theme of workshop was “Fisheries Development in Odisha: Status, Prospects & Options”.
Chief Minister issued appointment letters to 124 newly recruited Assistant Fisheries selected by Odisha Public Service Commission. Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said the state government has been taking measures to safeguard interests of fishermen and fishing community.
The fisheries resources of the state are very extensive. The state has 6.78 lakh Ha of fresh water resources, 4.18 lakh ha of brackish water resources and 480 kms of coastline as fisheries resources.
Development of fresh water aquaculture is the main target area of enhancement of production. In the financial year, 2014-15, Odisha has produced 4.67 mt of fish from all sources and earned Rs 2063.17 crore from export of fisheries with annual growth of about 13%.
The government has taken up a mission of increasing the inland fish production. The safety of fishermen and livelihood protection is a priority for the government. Odisha government has provided assistance to the tune of Rs 1 lac each with 5000 numbers of net and boats to marine fishermen to restore the livelihood to those affected by last Phailin cyclone.
The department proposes to take up massive horizontal expansion of the culture areas and to enhance productivity to 5.00 tonnes per ha. About 80% of the state population are fish eaters. The annual per capita fish consumption is 9.31 kg. Sustainable development of inland coastal and marine capture and culture fisheries will be promoted so as to attain self sufficiency in fish production for domestic consumption and to increase the sea food export.
Odisha government has been providing 25 kg rice to around 10,000 fishermen families who have been affected by the ban on fishing to protect Olive Ridley Turtles. The state government recently launched “Odisha Fisheries Policy, 2015” for the development of inland, brackish water and marine fisheries sectors. Odisha is the first state in India to have a comprehensive fisheries policy. The department has been giving emphasis to develop Chilika fisheries in sustainable manner and resources conservation, management and development through strict enforcement of acts.
Minister Fisheries & ARD Department, Pradeep Maharathy; Minister for Tourism and Culture, Ashok Kumar Panda; Member of Parliament, Bhubaneswar, Prasanna Pattasani; MLAs, Bijay Kumar Mohanty and Priaydarshi Mishra; Chief Secretary, G C Pati; Commissioner-cum- Secretary, Fisheries & ARD, Bishnupada Sethi were present on the occasion.