Help for decentralised development of fisheries in Udupi district

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s proposal in the State Budget to take up feasibility studies for construction of fisheries harbour at Hungarcutta and at Kodi Bengre in Udupi district is likely to help decentralised development of the fisheries sector.

There has been a long-pending demand by the fishermen for construction of fisheries harbours at Hungarcutta and Kodibengre, which only have jetties now.

The development of fisheries harbours at Kodi Bengre and Hungarcutta will reduce the pressure on the Malpe fisheries harbour, where boats of fishermen jostle for space for berthing. It will also help decentralized development of fisheries industry in the district. “There are about 400 boats in Hungarcutta and Kodi Bengre fisheries jetties, which go to Malpe because of lack of space. If fisheries harbours are constructed at both places, it will help fishermen in a radius of about 30 km,” said Keshav Kundar, president of the Karnataka Karavali Menugarara Kriya Samiti.

The government has also decided to construct 3,000 houses for poor fishermen without houses under the Matsyashraya scheme.

The government has decided to install simple and easy to use handheld point of sale (PoS) machines in fair price shops of Udupi district as a pilot project to ensure the distribution of right quantity of foodgrains at right price to the beneficiaries.

Yogishwar, Deputy Director of Food and Civil Supplies, said that the provision of PoS machines would reduce any foul-play in providing ration materials and also help the department get details of sale online.

Another budgetary proposal is to establish a separate board under Maharshi Valmiki Development Corporation for the comprehensive development of people belonging to tribal communities like Koragas, Malekudiya, Soliga, Jenu Kuruba, Kadu Kuruba, Iruliga etc.

Sabitha Gundmi, Assistant Professor in Sociology, Mangalore University, said that the decision to create a separate board was a welcome move. “The Koraga community is a primitive and vulnerable tribe, whose population has declined from 16,071 in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts from 2001 to 14,794 in 2011. The board can provide better facilities to both Koraga and Malekudiya communities,” she said.