National Fish Workers Forum wants separate ministry for Fisheries

PUDUCHERRY: National Fish Workers Forum (NFF) today again raised the demand for creation of a separate Ministry for Fisheries at the Centre so that grievances of fishermen could be addressed appropriately.

Chairman of NFF M.Ilango said in a release here today that the Central Budget has "ignored the predicament of fisheries across the country " and allocation for fisheries development was peanuts.

Ilango said what had been set apart in the budget for fiscal 2015-2016 for fisheries development was Rs 410.69 crore under plan and Rs 40.45 crore under non-plan head. Thus Rs 451.14 crore had been earmarked which is Rs 10.16 crore less than the previous year`s allocation, he said and sought a separate ministry for welfare of fishermen.