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| ACTIVITIES The Department of Fisheries involves itself in a variety of development programmes and welfare schemes for fishermen that contribute towards the growth of the Fisheries sector. Development
Programmes 1. State Sector Programmes (a) Conservation Programmes (i) Enforcement of KMFR act & Sea Rescue operation (ii) Ranching and Backwater patrolling (b) Marine Fisheries (i) Bankable Scheme for input distribution (ii) Kerosene distribution system (c) Inland Fisheries (i) Reservoir fisheries (ii) Integrated prawn culture in Pokkali fields (iii) Fish seed farms, Nurseries and hatcheries (iv) Integrated scampi/ fish culture in Kole lands of Thrissur and paddy lands of Kuttanadu (d)Infrastructure Development programmes (i)Development of coastal social infrastructure facilities- Fisheries roads, dispensaries, guide lights and mobile health units (e)Research and Extension (i) Mussel/ oyster and crab culture (ii) Extension and training (iii) Projects, Resource, Management and Statistical cell 2. Centrally sponsored schemes (a) Marine Fisheries (i) Motorisation of country craft (ii) Introduction of intermediate craft (iii) Distribution of suitable implements of fishing gear (b) Inland Fisheries (i) FFDA (ii) BFFDA (c)Infrastructure development (i) Fishery Harbour (ii) Modernization of Fishery harbour (iii) Landing center for traditional fishermen 3. NCDC Assisted- Integrated Fisheries Development Project- implemented through Matsyafed 4. Schemes implemented with the financial assistance from National Backward classes Development Finance Corporation (NBCDFC) and National Minority Development Finance Corporation (NMDFC) (i) Screw pine, mat-making units, cold storage, fish markets- established for additional employment. In addition autorickshaws are also supplied (ii) Upgradation of pre-processing facilities with funding support from MPEDA and the central ministry of Food Processing Industry (iii) Nylon net Factory (Externally aided) Welfare Schemes The various Welfare Schemes for Fishermen executed by the department are as follows: 1. Housing Scheme (50% CSS) Department of Fisheries is implementing a housing programme with the assistance of National Fishermen Welfare Fund Scheme & Xth Finance Commission. An amount of Rs. 40,000 is granted to registered fishermen active in the traditional sector having atleast 1.5 cents of land, between the age group of 18 and 60 years, belonging to BPL family, having no dwelling house in his name but married & maintaining a family. The person should build house under his own supervision with a plinth area of 35 sq.m. The grant is distributed in 2 instalments. 2. Savings Cum Relief Scheme (50% CSS) This scheme is one of the components of the on going Centrally Sponsored Scheme, ‘National Welfare Scheme for Fishermen’. This scheme is meant for sea going fishermen & fisher women engaged in fish marketing & allied activities. An amount of Rs. 75/- is given as monthly contribution for 8 months for which they are given Rs 300/- per month for the next 4 months. To fishermen in Inland sector Rs. 50/- is given as monthly contribution for 9 months for which they are given Rs. 300/- per month for the next 3 months. 3. Educational Concession to the Children of Fishermen Only children of registered fishermen are eligible for the educational concession. Children of expired fishermen based on the registration of the fishermen during the year of death, children of fishermen who retires from fishing activity before the age of 60 years due to physical handicap or diseases and children of pensioner fishermen not engaged in income generating activities are also eligible for concession. Hindu fishing community is granted concession only from the Dept of Scheduled Caste & Tribe. The certificates for the children are issued by the fisheries officers working under the Fund Board. The rules, rates & proceedings relating to the distribution of education concessions to the children of fishermen for pre-matriculation, matriculation & Post matriculation studies from the department will be in par with those for educational concessions granted to the students of other departments. Educational concession will not be granted from the fisheries department to the students for their vocational studies except for students of Government Institutions. Students of the Regional Fisheries Technical High Schools under the Department will be eligible for annual lump sum grant only. 4. Fisheries Roads The socio-economic condition of fishermen to a large extent depend upon the availability of approach roads & transport facilities, as the roads form a vital link for marketing & transport of fish. Three types of road works are taken up in the development programme. They are: Type A – which involves formation of roads, metalling and tarring Type B – which involves metalling and tarring only Type C - which involves tarring only Estimated cost per km is Rs 10 lakh for type A, Rs 5 lakh for type B and Rs.3 lakh for type C. The fisheries roads in the State are owned by different agencies and construction will be by the respective agencies in the respective area/jurisdiction. 5. Drinking Water Supply Scheme More than 50% of the fishermen households in the state are lacking drinking water supply. Clean drinking water is a basic need that is to be essentially provided to the coastal area. At present the State Government is implementing the scheme utilizing the grant from the Xth Finance Commission. Target is to cover 70 fishing villages @ 10 lakhs/village. The responsibility of implementing the scheme is vested with HED and KWA. 6. Sea Ranching Some of the commercially important and generally accepted varieties of fishes have become very scarce due to indiscriminate over fishing, pollution & various other factors. Sea ranching is found to be an effective measure for the replenishment of depleting stock of commercially important species by releasing sufficient number of hatchery bred species in estuaries & bar month. 7. Ranching of open water bodies The Fishery resource in the Inland Water bodies is depleting day by day due to over fishing, illicit ways of fishing and water pollution. Ranching of open water bodies is found to be an effective measure for the replenishment of the depleting stock. Setting up of new hatcheries & nurseries will help to produce more fingerlings so as to enable the Department to procure the required quality for open water bodies. 8. Fisheries Dispensaries The State Government have so far sanctioned 37 fisheries dispensaries to be established in various coastal villages. Scheme is proposed in such a way that the land required should be provided by the local body free of cost. Buildings for dispensary are constructed by the Department & handed over to the Public Health Department for running the dispensaries with necessary personnel & equipments 9. Matsya Bhavan The process of decentralised planning by the State Government during 1997-98 has brought about a sea change in the approach to planning development. Besides, a number of schemes hither to being implemented directly by the Department have been transferred to local bodies & implemented as State sponsored programmes. In catering to needs of decentralization, the organizational structure of the Department of Fisheries was revamped & grass root level machinery was strengthened. Matsya Bhavan have been set up in coastal panchayat & a single window clearance system for the supply & service rendered to the fishermen by various agencies. 10. Fish landing centres The fish landing centres are concentrated to facilitate safe landing of fishing crafts & hygienic handling of fish. 11. Fisheries schools Having recognized the importance of education in emancipating fishermen from the clutches of poverty and over-exploitation during the first five year plan, the state Government started “Fisheries Schools” under the department of Fisheries. Children belonging to fishermen community were given concessions. Teaching in all classes was done with specific attention to fishery science. Department of fisheries started Regional Fisheries Technical High School in various districts exclusively meant for fishermen children. |