Ports and Fisheries Minister K. Babu said here on Thursday that work on the Valiyathura harbour would commence after the ongoing Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was completed.
Inaugurating the distribution of financial assistance for house construction under the Model Fishing Village project at Valiyathura, Mr. Babu said the EIA had been handed over to L&T Ramboll. The project report for the Rs.61.41-crore project was already completed and once the EIA was available, work would start without delay, he said.
The Model Fishing Village project envisages building 3,100 houses in 11 select villages with the assistance of a Rs.150 crore loan from HUDCO. The government would provide the guarantee for the loan, the Minister said, adding that each beneficiary would receive financial assistance of Rs.2.5 lakh, which would be given in three instalments. Only those who fully utilised the first instalment of Rs.50,000 would receive the rest, he said.
The Valiyathura Model Fishing Village would have 284 houses constructed in the first year of the project. Apart from these, funds for construction of 1,000 latrines too would be provided. Beneficiaries would have to contribute Rs.2,500 out of the total cost of Rs.20,000 for each latrine, Mr. Babu added.
Health Minister V.S. Sivakumar presided. District panchayat president Ramani P. Nair and Fisheries Deputy Director K. Anitha were also present.