CM Bommai's budget allocation for fisheries marked by inclusivity

Rs 20 Cr set aside for maintaining a high quality of fish seeds; seafood park at Udupi, and fish rearing center in Haveri are other proposals

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: The budgetary allocation announced by Chief Minister Basavaj Bommai on Friday for the fisheries sector is marked by noticeable inclusivity. The idea was motivated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visits to the state where he pushed for the expansion of the fisheries sector.

Towards that goal, Rs 20 crores have been set aside for maintaining the high stock quality of fish seeds and the fish seed production and rearing farm center to be set up in Haveri soon. The Chief Minister also said that the fishing boats would be converted from kerosene-run engines to diesel and petrol-run engines.

This is expected to be done over a period of the next two years. It was also mentioned in the state budget that 10,000 fishermen will be provided with houses. A seafood park will be established on a Public Private Partnership basis in the district of Udupi. The ‘Matsya Siri’ promises to aid the fishermen while fishing deep waters. The scheme is the first of its kind and the operations will be handled by Matsya Sampada Yojana.

For a safety measure, fishing boats will get GPS trackers and a grant of Rs 17 crores is allotted for its inception. Artificial reefs will be applied to catch the interest of traditional fishermen as the reefs will help build certain areas of the coastal districts under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana.

According to scientific studies done on reefs. Artificial reefs provide appropriate conditions for the involvement of marine life. They are also known to condition the natural reefs. Reefs are responsible for incubating sea fish. The report from Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) said that 280 artificial reefs remain in Indian waters out of which most of them are found in Kerala and Tamil Nadu