CHENNAI: Minister for Fisheries D Jayakumar on Friday announced a slew of measures to boost the infrastructure and stimulate growth in fish food production. Replying to a debate on the demand for grants to his department in the Assembly, he said the government aimed at achieving fish food production worth Rs 10,000 crore and efforts were on to attain the target. He informed the house that the wharf at the Chennai fishing harbour would be extended by 70 metres at a cost of Rs 5 crore to ease congestion.
Resource mapping
With a view to documenting the resources in brackish water, he said that mapping of brackish water resources would be carried out in Cuddalore, Villupuram, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Pudukottai and Thoothukudi districts. The department would spend Rs 50 lakh for the works.
Setting up of a marine fish hatchling centre with an allocation of Rs 1.07 crore to meet the requirement for stocking in the open sea cage at Mandapam in Ramanathapuram, a unit to grow sea weed and allied products in the same district, establishing two modern fish vending centres in Chennai and Madurai and creating cold storage at a cost of `1 crore were the other important announcements the minister made in the house.
Jayakumar also said the fund for family of fishermen who die in sea or in accident would be increased to `2 lakh from `1 lakh while the assistance for those who lose an arm would be hiked to `1 lakh from `50, 000.
Under the corporate social responsibility scheme of the Ennore Kamarajar Port, `1.60 lakh would be spent for providing livelihood facilities for residents of eight fishing hamlets located around the port, Jayakumar said.
Moreover, artificial coral reefs would be deployed in the Pulicat lake in order to increase the fish potential. The department would spend `8.30 crore, he said.
Projects detrimental to fishermen’s interest won’t be allowed: Minister
Chennai: Allaying fears over the draft Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) notification issued by the Centre, Tamil Nadu Minister for Fisheries D Jayakumar said that no projects considered as detrimental to the interests of the fishermen in the State would be allowed. Intervening in the debate on the demand for grants to his department in the Assembly on Friday, the minister said, “They have issued just a draft notification. It is not final.
The public views are being elicited on the draft.” He added, “We will not allow projects that go against the welfare of the fishermen.” Earlier, raising the issue, Congress MLA C Rajeshkumar said the Centre had issued the draft notification with a view to diluting the CRZ so that projects like Sagar Mala could be implemented. But such moves would affect the interests and welfare of the fishing community, he added.