Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Parshottam Rupala on Saturday laid the foundation stone for the first-ever multipurpose seaweed park of the country at Vazhamavur near here.
The new facility would come up at a cost of ₹127.71 crore.
After laying the foundation stone, in the presence of Minister of State for Fisheries, L. Murugan, Mr. Rupala said that the seaweed park will help generate employment opportunities for fisherfolks from six coastal districts. It would improve the economic independence of the women.
Seaweed would be used in manufacturing medicines and food ingredients.
The fishermen would be given adequate training in production and marketing of seaweed, he added.
Stating that India was a pioneer in export of seafood, including fishes and prawns, he said in future the country would become a pioneer in export of seaweed also.
Mr. Rupala said that the Prime Minister had given ₹38,500 crore for the Fisheries Department for various economic development of the fishermen and to improve infrastructure for them.
After successful distribution of Kisan Credit Cards to fishermen, similar credit cards have been introduced to fishermen too. A total of 374 fishermen of Ramanathapuram district have been benefited due to the card and were given ₹4.71 crore financial assistance.
The scheme would be expanded and financial assistance would be given to 1,000 fishermen every year.
Mr. Murugan said that along with the Union Minister for Fisheries, he had been travelling the entire coastal areas of the country and interacting with the fishermen.
Earlier, they inspected the fishing jetty in Ramanathapuram.
The fishermen have demanded provision of air ambulance to provide emergency treatment to the fishermen in distress in mid sea.
Similarly, deep sea fishermen from Tamil Nadu had demanded issuing of national fishermen identity card since they were sailing to far off coastal areas in different States.
Joint Secretary, Union Ministry of Fisheries, Neethu Prasad, State Fisheries and Fishermen Welfare Commissioner K. S. Palaniswamy, Ramanathapuram Collector B. Vishnu Chandran, and Assistant Collector, Training, Sivanandam, were among those who were present.
