Construction of a housing complex for homeless fishermen will begin at Purakkad next month, Minister for Fisheries J. Mercykutty Amma has said. She was inaugurating a project of the Fisheries Department to revive the flood-hit fish farming sector here on Saturday. We have already identified the land for the project. The construction will begin in February, the Minister said. She further said that the government was committed to doubling the inland fish production in the State. The flood has damaged fish farming in 1,360 hectares in Alappuzha district. The farmers have suffered loss to the tune of ?1.15 crore. The State government has sanctioned ?4 crore for reviving the fish-farming sector in the district. Our aim is to expand inland fish farming to 3,000 hectares, the Minister said. Financial aid The Minister distributed financial aid to fishermen at the function. Alappuzha municipal chairman Thomas Joseph presided. Matsyafed chairman P.P. Chitharanjan, Chathanad councillor Ramishath, Fisheries Joint Director M. Laila Beevi, and Fisheries Deputy Director K. Noushar Khan spoke.