Union Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Dr. L Murugan said that under the Pradhan  Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana Scheme, an allocation of Rs 7.06  crore has been approved for the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the financial year 2022-23.

The Union Minister of State Dr Murugan interacted with fishermen of Durgapur village comes under North and Central Andaman district today.

The fishermen of the area demanded that they should be provided with clean drinking water, street light, public convenience complex, road, boat jetty facilities. Further they stressed the need to stop the fishermen of the neighbouring countries who ventured for deep sea fishing activities crossing our International Maritime Boundary Line.

Further the beneficiaries from the locality shared their views with the Union Minister about how the various welfare schemes of the Union Government were useful to them.

The Union Minister of State Dr L Murugan instructed the  department officials concerned to look into the grievances and make the fishermen's demands fulfilled within 3 months. Later speaking  to the fishermen, he said that the Union Government has been implementing the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana Scheme to improve and ensure the livelihood of the fishermen in the country. This would bring about Blue Revolution through sustainable and responsible development of Fisheries sector in India during the financial year 2022-23, he added. 

He further said that the Union Government has allocated a total of Rs. 32,000 crore for the welfare of fishermen, including Rs 5,000 crore for the Blue Revolution Project,  Rs 7,000 crores for upgrading and modernising ports and Rs. 20,000 crore for the Prime Minister's Matsya Sampada Yojana scheme.

Establishment of new Fresh water Finfish Hatchery, construction of new Rearing Ponds and new Grow-out ponds, construction of 10 ton capacity storage warehouse, development of cold storage and processing plant, provision of boats with refrigeration facilities to fishermen, provision of motorcycle with ice box, development of deep sea and traditional fishing industry would be considered by the Centre he added.

Union Minister Dr. L Murugan said that Rs 7.6 crore  have been allocated and approved for Andaman Nicobar Islands in the financial year 2022-23 for such works. Later the Minister visited the fish landing platform in the area.

Then, the Union Minister interacted with representatives of North and Central Andaman districts in a program held in Tiglipur.

District, Union and Gram Panchayat leaders participated in this programme. Later, Dr. Murugan went to Mayabandar where he addressed a public meeting in which he listed out the various welfare projects being carried out in the  respective areas.

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