Union fisheries minister promises more funds for fishing harbour

Visakhapatnam: Representatives of the Andhra Pradesh Mechanized Fishing Boat Operators Association representatives on Monday met Union Fisheries and Animal Husbandry Minister Purushottam Rupala here and presented their grievances and proposals.

Association president Vasupalli Janakiram and others  brought to the attention of the Union Minister several issues related to the fisheries industry in the presence of Rajya Sabha MP, GVL Narasimha Rao.

The minister noted that the modernization of the Visakhapatnam fishing harbour at a cost of about '160 crore was currently under process. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid the foundation for this project.

The association urged the minister to grant Rs.15 crore more for the implementation of an additional detailed project report. This is to provide the necessary new infrastructure to the fishermen community, it said.

The association pleaded that the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Credit Cards should be provided to all fishermen apart from concessions in cage culture.

It also proposed that the fishermen community be included in the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana scheme, providing free fodder and fry in relation to cage culture. It wants the central and state governments to give them subsidies on diesel.

Minister Purushottam Rupala promised to grant them an additional fund of '15 crore r to the fishermen towards fishing harbour development works. He also agreed to hold a special face-to-face with fishermen's representatives next month to hear and solve their problems.

Mechanized Fishing Boat Operators Association president Vasupalli Janakiram thanked the Modi government for setting up a special fisheries ministry and for allocating Rs.20,000 crore to the fisheries industry in the last Union Budget for five years.

Association general secretary Mylapalli Lakshmana Rao, vice-presidents Guntur Danaiah, Dudupolaiah, Peerupalli Dhana, fishermen leaders Bade Ellaji, Danesh, Samman Sujatha, Vasupalli Srihari, Surada Raju, Dhoni Nagaraju and others were present.