TIRUPATI, VISAKHAPATNAM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated the Juvvaladinne Fishing Harbour in Nellore district in virtual mode from Palghar in Maharashtra. In another boost to AP, he also laid the foundation stone for the Rs 387 crore initiative for the Pudimadaka fishing harbour.
This marks a significant milestone for the coastal fishing sector and immense help to the fishermen community in Andhra Pradesh. This is part of a larger initiative of the central government, simultaneously launching 217 projects across 13 states, with a fund allotment of Rs 1200 crore.
The Juvvaladinne Fishing Harbour was constructed at a cost of Rs 288.8 crore over a 76.89 acre expanse in Bogole mandal. This is a collaborative effort of the central and state governments.
Funding for the project comes from multiple sources: Rs 69.14 crore each from the Central Fisheries Department's Blue Revolution scheme and the Shipping ministry's Sagarmala scheme, as also Rs 150.51 crore from the AP’s state budget.
Nellore district, with its 110km coastline, houses 92 fishing villages that host a fishing community of 69,582, including 12,504 marine fishermen. The district's fishing sector ranks second in the primary sector with a turnover of Rs 6,864 crore. The new harbour can accommodate 1,250 boats, including 1,000 mechanized vessels and 250 large wooden boats, with an estimated annual fish harvesting capacity of 41,250 tonnes.
The Juvvaladinne harbour addresses challenges faced by local fishermen following the development of Krishnapatnam Port in 2008.
District collector Anand said the harbour will benefit 25,000 fishing families directly and indirectly. The Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) scheme is offering benefits to local fishermen forming Joint Liability Groups, including access to loans with a 40 per cent subsidy for purchasing mechanized boats.
“The fishing harbour features advanced technology such as weather warning systems, fish availability information and digital displays for fish marketing and pricing. A harbor management committee will oversee its operations, with both Coastal Security Police and Civil Police stations established on-site,” the collector explained.
Kavali MLA, Krishna Reddy, expressed gratitude to the PM and chief minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu for initiating this project. The harbour would attract several industries in the near future, further boosting the local economy, he stressed.
The inauguration ceremony took place at the Tikkana Grounds in the Nellore collectorate. Minister Ponguru Narayana, Zilla Parishad chairperson Anam Arunamma and hundreds of local fishermen were present. The event concluded with the unveiling of a commemorative plaque by the Collector and the Kavali MLA.
PUDIMADAKA FISHING HARBOUR
Simultaneously, on Friday, the prime minister laid the foundation stone for another ambition project in Andhra Pradesh -- the Rs 387 crore initiative for the Pudimadaka fishing harbour. The PM did so in virtual mode. The fishing harbour will come up in Pudimadaka village, under the Atchuthapuram mandal of Anakapalle district. The project costs Rs 387 crore.
District collector Vijaya Krishnan stressed the importance of the project, saying the fishing harbour would be operational within the next 18 months.
She said, “This initiative would create numerous job opportunities and enable the establishment of cold storage facilities. Anakapalle has a 73-km coastline, encompassing 32 coastal villages and 28 fish landing centres. The district has 2,314 marine fishing fleets, including 1,981 motorised and 333 non-motorized boats. The marine fishermen population in the district is approximately 86,497, with 12,996 engaged in sea fishing.”
This project has received financial support from both the central and AP governments and has been approved under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (Component of PMMSY), with necessary administrative approvals.
Key components of the harbour include breakwaters, quays, jetties and dredging. The state marine infrastructure development corporation (APMIDCL) will oversee the construction and management of the harbour.
For the project, APMIDCL has taken preliminary possession of 37.07 acres of government land. The fishing harbour, when complete, would support 930 fishing vessels and has an annual fish landing capacity of 28,700 metric tonnes, valued at Rs 263.61 crore.
The project is expected to create employment for 4,700 fishermen annually.
Fisheries commissioner Dola Shankar, representatives of various fisheries associations and district officials attended the event.
