NFDB cuts grants for Fish Market projects

NFDB cuts grants for Fish Market projects

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, April 9, 2015: The National Fisheries Development Board’s move to reduce matching grant from 90 per cent to 40 per cent will hit fish market development projects in the city and two other coastal districts of the state.

 

The four of 11 fish market projects taken up by Karnataka Coastal Development Authority in association with NFDB are under progress and KCDA has taken six more projects this financial year 2015-16.

The focus would be towards creating infrastructure that would last long and offer the much-needed succour to the people. Four of the 11 fish market projects — Udupi, Shirva, Kota and Pane Mangaluru — taken up last year, which are still incomplete, would be completed this financial year.

Even after cut in grant from NFDC the Development authority would go ahead with the new market projects, newly appointed Chairman of the authority Nivedit Alva said.

Since nine of the markets taken up for renovation were located in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, the authority would focus on Uttara Kannada this fiscal by building fish markets at Haladipura, Karki, Sirsi, Mundagod (all in Uttara Kannada) and Mudarangadi in Udupi, he said.

The government earmarked Rs. 10 crore in the budget for various works and the Coastal Development Authority aims at putting something concrete that can last long, benefitting larger sections of residents of the coastal area, instead of executing ad-hoc projects, Alva said.

Besides fish markets, construction of bridges to connect far-off but densely populated locations, is another priority of the authority. Within the available resources, about three suspension bridges could be constructed this year. However, if the authority completes all the planned projects, it could seek additional grants from the government, Alva opined.