Construction of 11 fishing harbours with link roads and bridges, rehabilitation of fishermen from vulnerable areas along the coast, and steps to arrest the depletion of marine fish stocks and promote inland fisheries are the major proposals for the sector in the State Budget presented in the Assembly on Friday.
In his speech, Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac said more than half of the outlay of ₹49 crore for the inland fisheries sector was meant for pisciculture. He said a project for ornamental fish farming in backwaters would be revamped.
The total outlay for the sector had been fixed at ₹586 crore, an increase of ₹178 crore over the previous year. An amount of ₹2 crore had been earmarked for a marine ambulance and the assistance under the off season saving-cum-relief scheme increased to ₹3,600.
The construction of fishing harbours would be taken up at Arthungal, Vellayil, Tanur, Parappanangadi, Manjeswaram, Koilandy, Munakkakadavu, Chettuva, Cheruvathur, Thalayi, and Chethi at a cost of ₹39 crore.
