Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Mullappally Ramachandran has called for a separate ministry for fisheries and stressed the importance of a national fisheries policy in the country. He was speaking at the mass contact programme and distribution of financial aid to fishermen organised by the Matsyafed in Kozhikode on Monday.
“At present, the Fisheries Department comes under the Union Agriculture Ministry. As a result, there are difficulties in addressing the issues of fishermen and resolving them comprehensively. Hence, a separate ministry for fisheries is under the consideration of the Union Government. Hopefully, the Centre would soon take adequate measures to draft a national fisheries policy,” Mullappally said.
The Union Minister said the second phase of the setting up coastal police stations in Vadakara and Thalassery will begin soon.
Matsyafed chairman V Dinakaran, Mayor A K Premajam, C K Nanu MLA and councillor P Kishanchand also attended.