New Delhi/ Mumbai: The Versova fishing harbour in Mumbai is stuck up for want of confirmation on availability of land and environment clearance, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Friday during the question time.
Minister for Fisheries Giriraj Singh said the Maharashtra government has not submitted the availability of land and the environment clearance for the harbour, even while submitting its detail project report.
In a reply to Congress member Husain Dalwai, the minister said same is the status of eight other fishing harbours and 16 fish landing centres as his ministry has not received the proposals together with confirmation of the availability of land and environment clearance from the state government.
He said the ministry has, however, approved three projects received from Maharashtra in the last five years for construction of fishing harbours at Karanja and Anandwadi and modernisation of the Sassoon Dock harbour as the proposals were complete. He said these projects were cleared under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme on Blue Revolution, integrated development and management of fisheries.
In addition to these, the central funds have been also released for the ongoing Phase-II expansion of the Mirkarwada fishing harbour under the blue revolution scheme, the minister added.
Fishermen covered by insurance
The minister disclosed in reply to another question by BJP’s Dr Vikas Mahatme that an insurance scheme covering the active fishermen who are licensed or registered with the state government ensures Rs 2 lakh to a fisherman on death or permanent total disability and Rs 1 lakh for partial permanent disability.
He said the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) under which the insurance is provided does not cover pond fishing, damage to sea cages and loss of fish crops like the crop insurance.
He said the group accident insurance for fishermen is implemented under the CSS, in alignment with the Prdhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana
