L Murugan, Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying, has stated that the Kisan Credit Card Scheme will be extended to fishermen in order to give loans at low-interest rates.
The minister said that the Central government's commitment towards the fishermen was evident in the fact that it has created a separate department for Fisheries and set aside Rs.20000 crore for the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Campaign. He was speaking at a 'Fishermen Convention' organised by Kerala Pradesh Fishermen Group (BMS) at Munambam in Kochi on Monday.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sanctioned Rs 20,000 crore for fishermen in the Atmanirbhar Bharat project for the first time in independent India," the MoS stated.
He added that the government has put aside Rs.7.5 crores to build integrated fisherman communities with schools, hospitals, and other facilities.
He further stated that the fuel subsidy for fishermen will continue, adding that the Union government has sanctioned Rs.246 crore in the last five years for fishermen in Kerala alone.
Earlier in the day, he made visits to the Kochi fishing harbour, MPEDA's quality control laboratory, and an Alappuzha-based rapid freeze drying facility company. “More fishing harbours will be rebuilt to international standards around the country. Kochi, Chennai, Visakhapatnam, and Paradeep are among the five fishing harbours in the country that will be upgraded to international standards. Ice plants and processing facilities will be set up in the harbour itself as part of this," he stated.
Fishermen are likely to generate higher prices for their products if ports are mordenized, he says. By 2024-25, the centre aimed to increase the value of fish exports to Rs.1 lakh crore. In Tamil Nadu, a thorough project study for the special economic zone is being prepared. The minister noted that it will provide employment possibilities and economic empowerment for women in the fisheries sector.
He also made a visit at the Accelerated Freeze-Drying Company (AFDC) in the Alappuzha district's Ezhupunna. AFDC Ezhupunna is one of the country's few prawn processing and exporting firms with expedited freeze and drying equipment. The minister also met with AFDC MD Abraham J Tharakan and inspected the seafood processing systems in operation.
