Fishermen in India's only natural floating village in Manipur to get ID cards

There are around 400 fishermen in 134 houses in one of its kind floating village in Bishnupur district but the villagers have been deprived of the benefits of government schemes due to lack of identity cards.

Guwahati: Fishermen in Champu Khangpok, India's only natural floating village situated in the iconic Loktak lake in Manipur, will get identity cards for incorporating them in government schemes.

There are around 400 fishermen in 134 houses in one of its kind floating village in Bishnupur district but the villagers remained deprived from benefits of government schemes due to lack of identity cards.

On Thursday, a fishermen enrolment camp was organised in the village for its residents as part of the National Fisheries Digital Plarform for enabling them to avail benefits under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kiran Samridhi Sah-Yojana.

"This is a landmark development for the villagers as they are dependable on traditional fishing practices and are deeply intertwined with the Loktak Lake's ecosystem," an official associated with Loktak Development Authority told DH. "They could not be incorporated in the government schemes meant for the fishermen community due to lack of an identity cards."

The enrollment was organized in collaboration with the Loktak Development Authority, the department of fisheries, Manipur, the Sinheibi Development Organisation, and the Champu Khangpok Floating Village Conservation and Management Committee.

"The initiative seeks to integrate the village’s fisherfolk into modern financial and institutional frameworks, fostering financial inclusion and economic security."

"The purpose of the initiative is to empower the residents of Champu Khangpok, enhancing their livelihoods and overall well-being. Additionally, it aligns with the broader vision of sustainable development for Loktak lake, ensuring the preservation of its ecosystem while uplifting its people," said the official.

Loktak is one of the Asia's largest freshwater lakes with surface area ranging between 250-sqkms and 500sqkms. The floating lake is famous for the phumdis or the mass of vegetation, soil and organic matter at various stages of decomposition floating over it. Many fishermen lives on those phumdis and rely on fishing in the lake for livelihood.