Minister to inaugurate fisheries village project

Promising better living conditions for the fishermen families, the works of the Madappally fisheries village project will formally begin on Monday. Fisheries Minister K. Babu will inaugurate the project for which the State government will invest Rs.1.94 crore.

Madappally fisheries village which spreads over three wards of Onchiyam grama panchayat which has around 678 households. As per the official figures, 89 households are landless and currently living as a joint family who will be covered in the first phase of the programme.

Electrification

Electrification of the remaining 15 percent houses in the area and the supply of pure drinking water to around 20 percent of the households will be the main priority area under the scheme.

Only 292 persons from this area are insured, which will have to be extended in such a way as to cover all the families.

People’s representatives from the area point out that the number of persons who benefit from various welfare pension schemes will have to be improved along with the fisheries village project.

“Only 14 persons are currently enjoying the pension benefits here, which will have to be improved further,” they point out.

As per the records of the Fisheries department, currently there are about 56 country boats in this fisheries village with a protected coastal length of 1.5 kilometres. No fewer than any 113 persons hold kerosene permits here.

Under the new fisheries village scheme, the government will spend the highest amount of Rs.65 lakh for the electrification of remaining houses in the project area.

For new drinking water schemes, the earmarked amount is Rs. 58 lakh. High mast lights and a well-equipped library are the other two areas, where the government will spend the remaining portion of the already sanctioned fund.

Along with this, proposals for livelihood improvements too have been added additional taking into the request of the coastal families.

According to officials, it will mainly include fish cultivation units, ornamental fish faming ventures, dry fish unit, mussel and prawn farming units.