Government Approves Rs 7,500 Cr for Modern Fishing Harbours Development

The government has approved projects worth Rs 7,500 Crores for the development of fish landing centers and modern fishing harbors. The modernization project aims to benefit around 10,000 fishers. Fisherman to get benefits facilitating 700 boats to operate.

On 11th June 2023, Parshottam Rupala, Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying, and, Minister of Ports Shipping and Water Ways, Sarbananda Sonowal paved the keystone for the project on Modernisation and Upgradation of Cochin Fishing Harbour at Thoppumpady, Cochin Port Authority, Cochin.

The Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India, approved the proposal put forth by Cochin Port Trust for the modernization and upgrading of Cochin Fishing Harbour located at Thoppumpady on March 2022. The total approximate price of this project is Rs. 169.17 crore, out of which Rs. 100 crore will be provided as financial assistance by the central government under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), in collaboration with the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways under the Sagarmala initiative.

The minister on this special occasion told that the government has been working on programs that would enhance farm productivity and improve farmer's livelihood. Under Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) and Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF), Sagarmala schemes, the government has approved projects worth Rs 7,500 Crores for the development of modern fishing harbors and modernizing fish landing centers.

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The modernization project is expected to bring about significant enhancements in sanitary conditions and a rise in earnings through fish and fish product exports. According to reports around 700 fishing boats operate at Cochin fishing harbour. This decision is to aid support around 10,000 fishermen and indirectly create positive impacts on the livelihood of around 30,000 fishers across the value chain.

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Key initiatives included in the modernization plan encompass the creation of state-of-the-art auction halls equipped with air-conditioning, a fish dressing unit, a packaging unit, an internal road network, loading and unloading platforms, office space, dormitory facilities, and a food court. The project also features a public-private partnership (PPP) element worth Rs. 55.85 crores, which involves the establishment of cold storage facilities, slurry and tube ice plants, a multi-level car parking facility, a reverse osmosis (RO) plant, a food court, a retail market, and other associated amenities.

-Agriculture Post

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