Ensure fishermen have easy to verify Aadhaar: Shah to coastal states

DIU: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday urged the coastal states to ensure that fisherfolk who venture into the high seas possess easily verifiable Aadhaar cards.

Chairing a meeting of the Western Zonal Council here, he also advised its member states to identify the existing infrastructure along the coast and integrate it with disaster mitigation plans. Zonal councils are advisory councils aimed at fostering cooperation among the states, and Union home minister is their common chairman. During the meeting, Shah also stressed the need for speedy investigation of rape and sexual offenses against women and children, and awarding of stringent punishment in a time-bound manner, a Press Information Bureau release said.

Additional Director General of Police-level officers, if possible women officers, should monitor the investigation of such cases, he added.

Chief Ministers of Goa and Gujarat and Administrator of the Union Territory of Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, as well as senior ministers from Gujarat and Maharashtra, Union Home Secretary and senior officers participated in the meet.

''While expressing satisfaction over the progress made on the issue of (distribution of) QR code based PVC Aadhaar cards to marine fishermen, the Union Home and Cooperation Minister urged the coastal states to make efforts to ensure that 100 per cent sea-goers including migrants and seasonal fishermen have Aadhaar cards which can be easily verified,'' stated the release. Shah also advised the member states and UT to integrate state as well as centrally sponsored schemes on Direct-Benefit Transfer platform. He also highlighted the need for an all-inclusive local contingency plan and its role in mass rescue operations, and advised member states and the UT to identify the existing infrastructure along the coast and integrate it with disaster mitigation plans.

To expand banking network in rural areas, the Department of Posts will roll out additional 20,715 India Post Payment Bank live touch points, Shah informed, and advised banks including cooperative banks and the India Post Payments Banks to ensure that unbanked villages in the Western Zone are provided facilities within 5 kms in the next year.

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