State gives top priority to fishing industry – CM

State gives top priority to fishing industry – CM

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Jan 5, 2012 : D. V. Sadananda Gowda, the chief minister of Karnataka, laid the foundation stone for the fish markets in Kinnigoli and Bantwal on Wednesday.

In his address, he said that the state government is giving top priority to fisheries, owing to which it has taken up the project of modernizing all fish markets. Stating that the government is now making attempts to strengthen its fisheries section, he said that an inland water area of around 5.6 lakh hectare and a coastline of 300kms will provide ample opportunities for fishermen.

Stating that the Rs. 30 crore worth project of constructing the Koderi Fisheries Port has begun, he said that the government has already released Rs. 10 crore of the funds. Further, Rs. 3 crore is being spent in Gangolli to construct a retention wall, he added.

The minister also said that the third phase of the work on Mangalore Old Port, worth Rs. 57.50 crore has begun. 
 

 

Speaking about the Matsyashraya scheme, he said that 2000 houses will be distributed among poor fishermen.

In his welcome address, B. Nagaraj Shetty, the chairman of the Coastal Development Authority (CDA), said that the CDA and the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) will jointly establish 10 fish markets for Karnataka. Since the NFDB has already approved the project, the markets will be set up in Bantwal (Rs. 52.33 lakh), Kinnigoli (Rs. 76.66 lakh), Padubidri (Rs. 76.92 lakh), Katpady (69.89 lakh), Karwar (Rs. 188.50 lakh), Shirali (Rs. 119.60 lakh), and Ankola (Rs. 49.80 lakh), he said. The work on the Padubidri market has already commenced and the market will be ready in 18 months, he added.

 

 

He also said that a team has been appointed to conduct a study on how to modernize fish markets in Karnataka and that it has already visited the Malwan Fish Market in Sindudurga, Maharashtra. While the NFDB will bear 90 percent of the project cost, the state government will bear 10 percent. The newly constructed fish markets will have facilities such as dining rooms, toilets, dressing rooms, rest rooms, and bathrooms. Every fisherwoman will have a separate unit to keep her basket and to sell fish, and each unit will have water supply.

Krishna Palemar, the district-in-charge minister; Yogish Bhat, the assembly deputy speaker; and MLAs Ramanath Rai, Abhayachandra Jain, and MP Nalin Kumar Kateel were also present.