Govt. is working on a comprehensive development plan for the fisheries sector: Minister

Fisheries Minister VE Abdul Gafoor on Wednesday inaugurated the newly constructed multi-purpose fisheries center at Eravipuram South fishing village in Kollam.

The government is in the process of formulating a major project aimed at overall upliftment of fishermen and comprehensive development of the fisheries sector, Fisheries Minister VE Abdul Gafoor said here on Wednesday.

He also revealed that the Department of Fisheries will soon start its own housing. The minister was speaking after inaugurating the newly constructed multi-purpose fisheries center at Eravipuram South fishing village and handed over the keys to the mobile auto kiosk, both implemented under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY).

Addressing the gathering, the minister said that steps are currently underway to revise the insurance scheme for fishermen, a long-standing demand of the community. “The transformation of the coastal region remains the primary objective of the government and the Department of Fisheries is proposing various welfare programs to realize this vision,” he said.

Built at a cost of ₹ 41.30 lakh and equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, the center at Eravipuram aims to streamline various services and provide basic training programs for fishermen. These sessions will cover sustainable fishing practices, real-time weather alerts and marine safety guidelines. The initiative falls under the Climate Resilient Coastal Fisherman Village Project of PMMSY, which aims to strengthen infrastructure in the fisheries sector while enhancing fisher safety, livelihood security, income generation, skill development and environmental protection.

As part of this wider project, which entails a total expenditure of ₹ 202.45 lakh, several key infrastructure components have already been completed in the fishing village of Eravipuram. These include solar mini-mast lights for marine purposes, emergency lifeboat for marine operations, plastic collection bins, brackish water breeding units, fish farming and portable solar fish dryers.

Published – 7 Oct 2026 20:59 IST