The State government has announced soft loans for fishermen to replace fishing vessels and equipment lost or damaged in Cyclone Ockhi. Fisheries Minister J. Mercykutty Amma told fish workers at a meeting here on Monday that Matsyafed would extend loans on easy terms for fishermen collectives to buy fishing equipment. A portion of the proceeds from the daily catch would be levied from the fishers as repayment. This, she said, would prevent fishers from falling into a debt trap and ensure that they get the ownership rights to the vessels and equipment. The Minister said cold storage units would be established at all fish-landing centres to check exploitation of fishers by rapacious middlemen quoting uneconomic prices for catch. She said the government was committed to raising the standard of living of coastal communities. The meeting decided to receive applications from fishermen eligible for the Ockhi relief scheme. Fisheries Director Venkatesapathy and officials from Matsyafed were present.
2018, The Hindu