KOCHI: Fishermen unions have been disappointed with the revised budget which, they said, did not have any major announcements for the sector.
Finance minister K N Balagopal has allocated Rs 5 crore for building infrastructure facilities for fish processing considering the possibilities for making value-added products.
Officials in the fisheries department said alternative modes of employment related to fishing are envisaged in the crisis-ridden sector.
“Projects for self-help groups in the community are already addressing the welfare of fisherwomen. Employment opportunities are being generated for children of fishermen who have graduated from colleges,” said an official of the department.
In the budget presented a few months ago, the state had announced a scheme to supply kerosene with a subsidy of Rs 25 per litre at a total allocation of Rs 60 crore.
The traditional fishermen are operating their fishing crafts having out-board motors which use kerosene as fuel. The quantity of kerosene available under the PDS system is very limited and fishermen depend on middlemen for kerosene, often at exorbitant rates.
“Matsyafed has implemented a scheme to supply subsidized white kerosene with a subsidy of Rs 25 per litre. This has resulted in the reduction of operating expenses,” said Lawrence Harold, managing director, Matsyfed.
However, fishermen unions are a dissatisfied lot. “The trade unions led by Left parties themselves had urged the Centre to provide Rs 7,500 per month to each community member as financial aid to the unorganized sector affected by Covid. We are facing starvation. The fisheries sector has been reeling under losses due to the fall in marine catch, especially Indian oil sardines from 2012-2017. This was at a time when there were 120 fishing days in a year. Against that, last year there were hardly 40 days because of Covid restrictions and extreme rainfall and cyclones. From January 1, 2021, not a single inboard vessel has gone fishing,” said Charles George, state president, Kerala fish workers forum.
In his budget speech, finance minister said the present NDA government has been trying to take away the controlling rights of state governments over the coastal sea.
Finance minister K N Balagopal has allocated Rs 5 crore for building infrastructure facilities for fish processing considering the possibilities for making value-added products.
Officials in the fisheries department said alternative modes of employment related to fishing are envisaged in the crisis-ridden sector.
“Projects for self-help groups in the community are already addressing the welfare of fisherwomen. Employment opportunities are being generated for children of fishermen who have graduated from colleges,” said an official of the department.
In the budget presented a few months ago, the state had announced a scheme to supply kerosene with a subsidy of Rs 25 per litre at a total allocation of Rs 60 crore.
The traditional fishermen are operating their fishing crafts having out-board motors which use kerosene as fuel. The quantity of kerosene available under the PDS system is very limited and fishermen depend on middlemen for kerosene, often at exorbitant rates.
“Matsyafed has implemented a scheme to supply subsidized white kerosene with a subsidy of Rs 25 per litre. This has resulted in the reduction of operating expenses,” said Lawrence Harold, managing director, Matsyfed.
However, fishermen unions are a dissatisfied lot. “The trade unions led by Left parties themselves had urged the Centre to provide Rs 7,500 per month to each community member as financial aid to the unorganized sector affected by Covid. We are facing starvation. The fisheries sector has been reeling under losses due to the fall in marine catch, especially Indian oil sardines from 2012-2017. This was at a time when there were 120 fishing days in a year. Against that, last year there were hardly 40 days because of Covid restrictions and extreme rainfall and cyclones. From January 1, 2021, not a single inboard vessel has gone fishing,” said Charles George, state president, Kerala fish workers forum.
In his budget speech, finance minister said the present NDA government has been trying to take away the controlling rights of state governments over the coastal sea.
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