CHENNAI: In a first-of-its-kind initiative in the country, Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has announced subsidy for fishermen to buy tuna long liners that will enable them undertake deep sea fishing. Of the estimated cost of Rs 60 lakh for each boat, Jayalalithaa has ordered disbursal of subsidy up to Rs 30 lakh per boat. Nearly 580 fishermen from 171 fishermen groups will get Rs 51.30 crore as subsidy towards buying the boats. It may be noted that no other State has far provided such a high subsidy for fishermen. Five fishermen received the subsidy cheque from the Chief Minister at the Secretariat on July 15.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister inaugurated through video conferencing facility 12 fish landing centres and several new buildings constructed at a total cost of Rs 379.23 crore besides laying foundation for various buildings for the Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fisheries department to be constructed at a total cost of Rs 244.74 crore.
Under the Anna Milk Producers Welfare Fund scheme, 49 beneficiaries are eligible to receive compensation for disability to the tune of Rs 85.75 lakh. Of them, one beneficiary received the cheque for compensation in person. The Chief Minister also handed over to officials three patrol boats, bought at a cost of Rs 38.25 lakh, meant to undertake search operations in Tuticorin and Tirunelveli districts whenever fishermen go missing.
Jayalalithaa also declared open a dairy, having capacity to produce 6.5 tonnes of butter, five tonnes of ghee, 20 tonnes of milk powder, established at a cost of Rs 72.60 crore at Ammapalayam in Tiruvannamalai. She also inaugurated new buildings for 237 veterinary dispensaries constructed at a cost of Rs 44.51 crore, livestock and fodder production development centres set up at a cost of Rs 1.56 crore at Naduvur (Thanjavur dt), Mannarkudi (Tiruvarur dt), Uppidamangalam (Karur dt) and Perambalur (Perambalur dt), 12 fish landing centres constructed at a cost of Rs 95.25 crore at MGR Thittu, Mudasalodai, Samiyarpettai, Nagore, Serudur, R Pudpupattinam, Muthukuda, Thirespuram, Tharuvaikulam, Periyathalai, Simon Colony and Inaiyamputhan Thurai.
New buildings for industrial training centre, seafood knowledge centre, marine engineering and seaman training centre constructed at the Tuticorin Fisheries College and Research Centre, additional buildings at Tamil Nadu Fisheries University and similar buildings at Ponneri were also declared open by the Chief Minister.
The other facilities inaugurated include a marine fish hatchery at Sathakonevalasai in Ramanathapuram , pathogen-free shrimp broodstock bank at Ayirangal Pozhimugam in Kanyakumari and the zonal fisheries reseach and extension centre at Parur in Krishnagiri, new veterinary medical college and research centres at Ramaiyanpatti in Tirunelveli and Orathandu in Thanjvaur, poultry production and management college at Hosur, farmers’ training centre at Theni, veterinary training and research centres at Villupuram, Tiruchy, Tiruvannamalai and Rajapalayam.