Minister for Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Venkatarao Nadagouda during an inspection at Bunder in Mangaluru Tuesday. more-in Minister for Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Venkatarao Nadagouda on Tuesday assured fishermen of transferring diesel subsidy to their respective bank accounts within a week. Interacting with fishermen and their leaders during his visit to Mangaluru fishing harbour here, Mr. Nadagouda said that he would discuss the issue of subsidy remaining due with the department officials immediately after returning to Bengaluru and arrange for its disbursal. Responding to another plea of fishermen about speedy completion of the third phase expansion of the fishing harbour, the Minister said that the State government has already released its share of the funds. The Centre is yet to release its share and the government would take up the issue with the Centre, he said. The government is committed to providing interest-free loan to fisherwomen, the Minister added. He then visited various units at the fishing harbour. MLC Ivan D'Souza, Fisheries Department Director Veerappa Gowda, Deputy Director Mahesh Kumar and others were present. Earlier, the Karnataka Purse-Seine Meenugarara Sangha, Mangalore Trawl Boat Meenugarara Sangha and Dakshina Kannada District Fishermen Cooperative Societies submitted memoranda to the Minister urging him to improve infrastructure in the fishing harbour and provide other facilities. Purse-Seine and Trawl Meenugarara Sangha presidents Mohan Bengre and Nithin Kumar urged the department to immediately complete Phase 3 expansion of the fishing harbour. Over 1,500 mechanised vessels and 600 conventional fishing boats operate out of the harbour and more than 25,000 people are directly and indirectly depending upon them. Space constraint and lack of various other facilities are affecting their avocation. The associations also urged the Minister to enhance the diesel subsidy (VAT waiver) for mechanised vessels from 350 litres to 500 litres as the present quota was insufficient. They also asked the Minister to address staff shortage at the department's Mangaluru office and enhance allocation to the department. Pleading on behalf of cooperative societies, Sasihithlu Fishermen Cooperative Society president Shobhendra Sasihithlu demanded a complete loan waiver for traditional fishermen. He also sought provision of GPS-based free distress alert transmitter to deep sea fishing vessels. The CRZ Management Authority office should be shifted to Mangaluru for speedy provision of NoCs for construction/ renovation of houses in the coast, he said.

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