Bhubaneswar: The Government of India has launched a major initiative to revitalize fishery cooperatives as part of a new policy framework directed by the Prime Minister.
Dr. K. K. Tripathy, Joint Secretary to the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM), conducted a high-level field visit to Odisha on March 27 and 28, 2026, to gather critical insights for a robust national policy.
The visit follows a direct mandate from the Prime Minister to the EAC-PM to create an implementable framework for strengthening the fisheries cooperative ecosystem.
A significant session was held at the FISHFED Conference Hall, where Dr. Tripathy was welcomed by cooperative sector veteran and President of the Odisha State Co-operative Bank, Shri T. Prasad Rao Dora.
During the meeting, Dr. Tripathy commended Shri Dora for his extensive contributions to the sector, noting his previous leadership roles as Chairman of FISHCOFED and FISHFED. The event was also attended by Director of Fisheries Shri Siddhartha Das and senior officers from the State Fisheries Sector.
Wide-ranging discussions on the first day of the visit focused on identifying the current status, operational challenges, and potential intervention areas for cooperatives.
The coordination of the state visit was managed by Shri Prem Chandra Chaudhary, Secretary of Fisheries and Animal Resources Development.
Dr. Tripathy’s mission included consultations with diverse stakeholders such as ICAR research institutes, the State Fishery Cooperative Federation, and representatives of local fishers to ensure the final policy is actionable and grounded in field realities.
This central intervention aims to transform the fishery cooperative model into a more effective pillar of India’s blue economy. To facilitate these ongoing efforts, the central government had previously requested the appointment of a nodal officer to streamline interactions between the EAC-PM and state-level departments, including Fisheries, Cooperation, and Food Processing Industries.