CM reviews fisheries, dairy and animal husbandry departments grants

Cabinet Ministers – D Jayakumar, KT Rajenthra Bhalaji and Udumalai K Radhakrishnan– were present during the review. Presentations pertaining to Fisheries and Animal Husbandry were provided by Principal Secretary (Animal Husbandry, Milk and Dairy Development, and Fisheries) K Gopal while that of Dairy Development was done by Aavin Managing Director C Kamaraj. 

As for Fisheries Department, sources said new fishing harbours coming up at Colachel, Thengapattinam and Chinna Muttam, all three in Kanniyakumari and Poompuhar in Nagapattinam were brought up for discussion. 

“Proposed projects such as fish landing centre in Kuthukal in Ramanathapuram at a cost of Rs 70 crore and fishing harbours at Vellapallam and Tarangambadi in Nagapattinam districts, which would cost Rs 220 crore in addition to four fish landing centers in Kurumpanai, Pozhikarai, Kesavanputhenthurai and Pallam Thurai, all in Kanniyakumari coming up at a cost of Rs 16 crore were also discussed,” sources added. 

The deadline to provide VHF wireless equipment to fishermen having range up to 60 nautical miles was reviewed. The proposed project to provide high frequency communication sets which can establish contact beyond 60 nautical miles, at a subsidised cost in a phased manner was taken up for discussion. 

Over Rs 1,000 crore will be allocated to the fisheries department in the current fiscal, according to the sources. 

On Animal Husbandry Department, sources said the state was committed to upgrade 100 sub-centers of veterinary services to veterinary dispensaries. During the review, the flagship free milch cows, sheep and goats scheme was discussed. 

The outlay for the scheme had been set as 12,000 milch cows and 6 lakh sheep or goats to 1.5 lakh beneficiaries. Sources said about Rs 1,200 crore would be granted to the Animal Husbandry Department. 

For Aavin, sources said the cooperative union’s milk processing capacity was taken up for review along with its performance indicators. “Grants for Aavin would be around Rs 130 crore,” sources said.