Chennai: For the first time in the country, a seaweed park will be set up in Tamilnadu to improve the livelihood of fishermen, Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting. Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying L Murugan said.
Talking to reporters at Tiruchendur in the southern Thoothukudi district, he said work will commence soon after the State government allotted land for the park.
He said the Union government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has formed a separate Ministry for Fisheries and is implementing various projects.
Murugan said the Tamilnadu government has been requested to set aside
space for a Special Economic Zone for seaweed farming and the work will
commence after the State government selects the site.
He also said a project to raise quality fish fry in the sea would be implemented under the Prime Minister’s Matsya Sampada Yojana to increase fish stocks in Rameswaram and Mandapam areas.
He said about Rs. 20,000 crore is to be invested in Tamilnadu for fisheries projects such as cold storage, setting up of fish processing plant and deep sea aquaculture.
Dr Murugan pointed out Rs 1,500 would be provided as relief assistance on behalf of the Central government during the fishing ban period and a group insurance scheme would be implemented for fishermen.
He said the Union government has been implementing various schemes and Tamilnadu is the State with maximum number of beneficiaries in schemes such as highways, Housing for All, Jal Jeevan, Medical Insurance, Mudra micro loans, and MSME credit facility.