Fisheries Minister J Mercykutty Amma told the assembly on Tuesday that the government would construct 3650 houses this year for homeless fishermen.Replying during a discussion in the house on Demand for Grants’ for the year 2016-17, she said 11,583 out of 2,12,653 fishermen families in the state had no habitable houses, while over 11,000 families were both landless and homeless. We will launch a total habitat scheme for fishermen on November 1. The new houses would be built over 550sqft area, as compared to the present 400sqft. Over 14,000 families will have to be rehabilitated, she said. She added that the government had a dream project to construct 522km of coastal roads worth Rs 7500 crore. She said fisher folk who lose their houses would be rehabilitated 50m away from the seashore. The coastal roads would link all fish landing centres. For Coastal Regulation Zone implementation, a green belt would be developed on the entire coastal zone, said the minister, pointing out that the Centre had offered help, provided the state prepared an Integrated Coastal Management Plan OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS * Schools in fisheries sector to be strengthened, with 10 schools to be brought to global standards * Five schools to be allotted playgrounds, 40 to have sports facilities * Rs 300 crore sanctioned for breakwater project to be utilised to check sea erosion * Artificial reef and other unconventional methods to be given priority, instead of sea-filling by rocks * Petitions filed in Debt Relief Commission till December 31, 2008, to be considered * Fish seeds production to be increased from 2.5 crore to 6 crore to raise inland fish production from 40,000 tonnes to 80,000 tonnes
New Indian Express.