Kerala Fisheries Minister Mercykutty Amma, who welcomed the
recommendations of the draft National Policy on Marine Fisheries, has
urged the Narendra Modi Government to set up a separate ministry for
fisheries.
Noting that fisheries was a significant part of the coastal economy in
nine States and that it provided livelihood to millions of people, she
told BusinessLine that an exclusive ministry was necessary for the
fisheries sector.
Currently, the fisheries sector is administered by the Department of
Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries under the Union Ministry of
Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare. The policy-drafting committee has not
recommended a stand-alone ministry for fisheries. The minister said she
totally supported the long-standing demand of the trade unions for a
ministry so that sustainable development of marine resources could be
better taken care of.
Mercykutty Amma, who took over as the Fisheries Minister in the Pinarayi
Vijayan Cabinet hardly a fortnight back, said she was happy that the
committee that drafted the national policy on marine fisheries had
accepted 13 of the 16 suggestions made by the Kerala Government.
Asked about the State Government’s view about the proposal in the
national policy to transfer the subject of fisheries to the Concurrent
List of the Constitution from the present States List, Mercykutty Amma
said that on the face of it, the proposal seemed to be good. However,
she also pointed out that trade unions in the sector were worried that
if the proposal was implemented, there would be frequent interferences
by the Central Government in the fisheries sector.
The minister wanted the Centre to take immediate steps to transfer the
research knowledge available with the various institutions involved in
the fisheries sector to the fisher folk. “As of now there is hardly any
connect between the valuable scientific knowledge available with the
institutions and the fishermen out in the sea,” she noted. “What is the
use of such knowledge without its being put into practice and benefiting
the fishermen?”
Source : Business Line
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