After many decades, fishing activity turned lucrative in Itchapuram mandal and surrounding areas, thanks to the support being provided by the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB).
Due to their struggle and repeated representations to the then Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy and other VIPs, the government decided to provide fish transport vehicles with cold storage facility. The vehicles costing around Rs.16 lakh will help the women transport fish to towns and cities to get better rates.
For the fisherwomen living in the coastal villages in and around Donkuru, the long wait for vehicles to transport to fish shandies has been frustrating.
Besides this they were compelled to sell their fish to middlemen at throwaway prices. Now with the NFDB donating the vehicles, the members of 25 fisherwomen societies are able to go to shandies at Visakhapatnam or to Bhubaneshwar and Cuttack where they are able to get comfortable profit margins.
Kiran deliversThe women, who identified the problem, had raised the issue when Mr. Kiran Kumar Reddy came to Donkuru village to conduct Rachhabanda programme. He promptly responded to the problem and brought the issue to the notice of NFDB officials. Now, the dream of women is going to be a reality.
NFDB Chief Executive Dr. M.V.Rao told The Hindu that seven fish transport vehicles had also been given to Godavari Maha Samakhya at Tallarevu near Kakinada and another to Chepala Thimmapuram Fisherwomen Cooperative Society at Bheemunipatnam. These interventions though small had given fishermen and women an economic boost. Many fishermen societies are asking for similar benefits after finding how a transport vehicle had revolutionised fish business.
Mathsya Mahila Mutually Aided Cooperative Village Society president D. Yankamma thanked NFDB officials for extending a helping hand.
