NELLORE: Union Minister for Fisheries, Parshottam Rupala informed that the Department of Fisheries has approved proposals to the tune of Rs 2,523.41 lakh for seaweed cultivation under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) for states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Union Territories of Andaman and Nicobar Islands as well as Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu during 2020-21.
Replying to questions raised by Rajya Sabha member Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy in the House, Parshottam Rupala stated that the Government of Tamil Nadu had submitted a project proposal on the establishment of Multipurpose Seaweed Park in Tamil Nadu at a total project cost of Rs 296.43 crore.
The Minister also informed that a project proposal was received from the Government of Andhra Pradesh to establish 6,000 seaweed rafts and 1,200 monoline/tube net including inputs for which the government has already identified the beneficiaries. The project will be taken up at an estimated cost of Rs 186 lakh.
To another question raised by the MP, Parshottam Rupala explained that the Andhra Pradesh government has informed that different fishing zones for various types of fishing vessels have been notified under the Andhra Pradesh Marine Fishing (Regulation) Rules, 1996.
Detailed report on South Coast Railway Zone
The Rajya Sabha MP also questioned whether a detailed project report (DPR) for the creation of South Coast Railway (SCoR) has been submitted to the Railway Board by the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) and if Rs 170 crore have also been allocated in 2020-21 to start the work on DPR.
Replying to this, Union Railway Minister, Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that the DPR submitted by Officer on Special Duty for SCoR, which inter-alia contains the estimates for setting up of the new SCoR Zone, is currently under examination of the Board.