VIJAYAWADA: On the occasion of World Fisheries Day to be celebrated on November 21, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy will lay the foundation stone for a fish landing centre at Rayadaruvu village in Vakadu mandal of Tirupati district.
He will also launch the project meant for the revival of Pulicat Lake.
To restore the shrunken sea mouth of Pulicat Lake and bring back its past glory, the government will spend Rs 94.75 crore on the project. The revival of the lake will provide a livelihood to 20,000 fishermen families.
Before addressing a public meeting at Mambattu SEZ in Tada mandal on Tuesday, Jagan will also directly deposit Rs 161.86 crore into the bank accounts of 23,458 fishermen families of Konaseema and Kakinada, who lost their livelihood due to pipeline works of ONGC, as the fourth instalment.
As part of its commitment to the betterment of lives of fishermen and to prevent migration, the government has taken up works of 10 fishing harbours and six fish landing centres of world-class standards with Rs 3,793 crore, officials said.
Further, to encourage exports and imports of marine produce and other products, the construction of Ramayapatnam, Mulapet, Machilipatnam and Kakinada Gateway Ports has been taken up at a cost of Rs 11,000 crore.
The government, soon after coming to power in the State, had enhanced the relief during the marine fishing ban to Rs 10,000 from Rs 4,000.
Further, the lean period relief to fishermen having traditional boats, in addition to those having mechanised boats, is being extended.
To increase domestic consumption, it has introduced ‘Fish Andhra’ brand and set up 26 Aqua Hubs and 2,184 retail shops, they added.