The second Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) government has initiated a slew of measures to find solutions to problems faced by the fisher community in the State in five years, Fisheries Minister Saji Cherian has said. Mr. Cherian was distributing Mikavu-2020 awards, instituted by the Matsyafed, to students of the fisher community who scored high marks in the last year’s SSLC and Plus Two examinations here on Monday. The Minister said the government was constructing 20,000 houses under the Punargeham project to rehabilitate fisher families living within 50 metres of the coastline in the State. “The construction of 3,000 houses under the project has been completed. The government is committed to providing housing to all fisher families,” he said. The previous LDF government launched the Punargeham project to provide housing for all fisher families residing in areas vulnerable to sea erosion and tidal wave attack in nine coastal districts of the State.
Mr. Cherian said the government was implementing projects worth Rs.12,500 crore for coastal protection. “The completion of the coastal highway project will bring a new wave of development to the coastal areas. Hatcheries will be started in different parts of the State for production of 12 crore fish seeds in three years,” he said. On improving basic infrastructure facilities in schools in coastal areas, he said the construction of buildings for 36 schools was progressing. The Chethi Fishing Harbour in Alappuzha would be realised soon, the Minister said. A total of 318 SSLC students and 104 Plus Two students were given awards comprising a cash prize of Rs.5,000 and a plaque. P.P. Chitharanjan, MLA, presided. Alappuzha district panchayat president K.G. Rajeswari, Aryad block panchayat president K.D. Maheendran, Mararikulam south gramapanchayat president P.P. Sangeetha, Matsyafed managing director Lawrence Harold, and others spoke.
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