Fishermen to get Kisan Credit Cards shortly: Kota Srinivas Poojary

Fishermen to get Kisan Credit Cards shortly: Kota Srinivas Poojary

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Jan 21, 2020:  Minister for Ports, Fisheries and Muzrai Kota Srinivas Poojary said here on Monday that about 23,000 fishermen, who will benefit from the State government’s decision to waive loans of up to Rs. 50,000 from nationalised banks during 2017-19, will receive Kisan Credit Cards (KCC) within a week.

Speaking after inaugurating the Kumaradhara ferry service, started by Mahajana Sabha Bengre at Thotta Bengre, the Minister said that the government has taken steps to transfer the loan amount of Rs. 60 crore to the nationalised banks from where fishermen had taken these loans.

The Minister said that the banks will remove the beneficiaries from their list of “non-productive asset borrowers” once the loan amount is transferred. The banks will issue the KCC to deserving fishermen later.

The loan-waiver scheme of the State government was extended to fishermen at a rally that Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed recently at Tumakuru, the Minister said. Mr. Poojary said that the Ports Department is mulling the idea to own a dredger and allow its operation and maintenance under private ownership as followed in Kerala. A meeting of fishermen leaders will be convened soon to decide modalities of this move to ensure safety of fishing boats using the ports. The proposal for third phase expansion of the old port here at a cost of Rs. 22 crore will come up for consideration before the Cabinet soon.

Dredging work from the estuary mouth to the north commercial wharf of the old port will be taken up at a cost of Rs. 29 crore. A sanctuary for country boats will be constructed at a cost of Rs. 3.5 crore at the old port with financial assistance from the NABARD, the Minister said.

Mr. Poojary said that steps will be taken to set up floating jetties at Malpe in Udupi and Hoige Bazaar in the city at a cost of Rs. 6.5 crore each.

 A demonstration of this technology will be held before a decision is taken on this project.

The Minister later inaugurated a new passenger jetty constructed by the Public Works, Ports and Inland Transport department at nearby Sulthan Bathery at a cost of Rs. 35.83 lakh.