NEW DELHI: Kanyakumari Lok Sabha MP Vijay Vasanth on Thursday moved an adjournment motion in the House, seeking a discussion on the crisis faced by the fishing community in Tamil Nadu and the funding cut to the National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRDPR).
Highlighting the issues, he pointed out that fishing communities in coastal districts like Kanyakumari, Rameswaram, and Nagapattinam have been severely affected by the funding cut to NIRDPR and "lack of support."
In the motion, Vasanth stated, "The recent reduction in funding to NIRDPR has adversely affected various welfare schemes for rural communities, including the fishing community. This funding cut has directly impacted the livelihoods of thousands of fishing families who depend on such initiatives for their development."
He also criticised the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) in Tamil Nadu, arguing that it has "failed" to provide "sufficient support" to the fishing community.
"The scheme's implementation in the state has been ineffective, leaving the community without adequate financial aid, technology, and infrastructure development," he added.
The MP further pointed out that fishing harbours and fish landing centres in Tamil Nadu remain "severely underdeveloped," which has hampered efficiency and safety in the sector and led to economic losses for local fishermen.
Additionally, he raised concerns over the Climate Resilient Coastal Fishermen Village (CRCFV) scheme, which aims to protect coastal communities from climate change, however, he said that it "has not been effectively implemented" in Tamil Nadu, leaving fishermen vulnerable to natural disasters and climate variability.
With India's vast 7,516.6 km coastline supporting over 28 million people engaged in fisheries and aquaculture, he stressed the urgent need for adequate support and infrastructure development for coastal fishing communities, particularly in Tamil Nadu.