75 per cent subsidy for communication equipment for fishing boats

CHENNAI: In a bid to provide better communication equipment for fishing boats in Tamil Nadu, the state government today announced a 75 per cent subsidy for installing VHF and HF radios on them.

Making a suo motu statement in the Assembly, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa noted that most of the 5,600 fishing boats in the state did not have communication equipment and announced the subsidy.

Installing VHF, which costs Rs 20,000 per unit (excluding subsidy) would enable fishermen communicate with their families and fisheries officials during emergencies, she said.

The equipment can be used to inform fishermen of dangers with the latest alerts from Hyderabad-based Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Service and also to guide them to locate dense schools of fish in the sea, the CM said.

Jayalalitha said fishermen involved in deep sea fishing would be given the subsidy for the High Frequency radio equipment, which cost Rs 2.5 lakh per unit.

The fisheries department would create a control room for these equipment at a cost of Rs 8.50 crore, she added.

The government would also create ' Sports Fishing-cum-Eco Park' over 15 acre in lake at Chetpet at a cost of Rs 42 crore with entertainment facilities and parks, she said.

The Chief Minister also said that the Chennai fishing harbour would be upgraded at a cost of Rs 75 crore, considering the increased number of 1395 fishing boats using the existing facility.