Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Jul 10: 'A delegation of fishermen will soon meet Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, and union minister, Nitin Gadkari, to impress upon them the need to release more grants towards the construction of all weather fishing port at Kulai,' said member convener of Yelupatna Mogaveera Sabha, Ramachandra Bykampady.

Addressing a press conference held here on Thursday July 9, he said that the assurance given earlier by the central government to build fishing port here is being met now. The letter of the state government towards allotment of 11 acres of land needed for building the port has already been dispatched to union minister, Nitin Gadkari. 'As the central government has, as a matter of policy, reduced its contribution limit for fishing ports from 70 percent to 40 percent, we will be meeting the Prime minister in an effort to persuade him to increase this grant,' he explained. He added that the state government has expressed its inability to meet 60 percent of the project cost needed for this port.

Bykampady revealed that the proposed fishing port at Kulai has modern design, which provides for fishing activity even during heavy rain and strong wind. It will have provision for mooring of 1000 traditional boards with outboard engines, 350 trawlers, and 50 purse seine boats. Fishermen spread over between Hejmady amd Boloor will get employment all through the year,' he explained.

Rajeev Kanchan of 14 Patna Mogaveera Samyukta Sabha was present at the press conference.