The Karnataka government will extend Rs 3 lakh subsidy given to fishermen to do fishing through cable nets from the existing 300 to 1,000 fishermen, announced Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.
Speaking after inaugurating the Inland Fish Producers Convention for the year 2022 at Palace Ground on Sunday, CM Bommai said under the Sthree Samarthya scheme, a financial assistance of Rs 3 lakh to 5 lakh is given. Utilising the subsidy being given for Stree Shakti groups and under the Swami Vivekananda scheme to take up inland fishing, 1,000 sanghas must come forward to take up fishing. The grants have already been released. In terms of fishing, the state has a long way to go. Andhra Pradesh has been ahead of Karnataka in fish exports. Instruction has been given to take a team of fishermen to Andhra Pradesh on study tour. The existing fishing activities must be extended and increase the existing export by at least three times, and the necessary grants will be reserved in the state budget 2023-24”.
“Five thousand houses have been sanctioned for fishermen to make them economically strong. The houses must be completed within the stipulated time. “I will come personally and distribute houses if the houses are completed before January, 2023,” he added.
The CM said fish has been the food of humans for many centuries. While fish is vegetarian, those who eat it are non-vegetarians. In Western countries, fish has been categorised as a vegetarian food.