NDFB to give 100% assistance to upgrade fish harbours: Pawar

Font Size

Print

Feedback

Email

Discuss

Related Articles

RCoM unveils 1 paise per SMSHindalco closes QIP issue

Bhubaneswar: The Centre on Sunday announced plans to provide 100% assistance for modernisation of fish harbours and to formulate a policy on welfare of fishermen.

“I will like to announce that henceforth NDFB (National Fisheries Development Board) would provide 100% assistance for modernisation of facilities at important fish harbours and landing centres,” agriculture minister Sharad Pawar said at state fisheries ministers meet here.

Delivering the valedictory address at the two-day national conference, Pawar said, “This will also address the issue of competitiveness of our exports and meeting the standards of importing countries.”

Mooting a national policy on welfare of fishermen to enhance production and productivity to achieve the target of ten million tonne by 2012, he said he has directed the Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) to carry out a comprehensive study and survey of the socio-economic condition of fishermen to obtain reliable data for the purpose.

The minister, who earlier laid the foundation stone for a foot and mouth disease research institute at Jatni near here, expressed concern over fishermen’s poor-socio-economic condition. Referring to the proposal for the National Food Security Act, the Pawar said there was a need to go beyond just providing subsidised rice and wheat to the poor and include pulses, edible oil, fish and other food items in the scheme. “Production and productivity of all food items must be raised substantially to meet the goal,” he said.