RAMESHWARAM: Inaugrating the Dr A P J Abdul Kalam National Memorial at Pei Karumbu on Pamban Island in Ramanathapuram district, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday unveiled a deep sea-fishing scheme to help fishermen from this region of Tamil Nadu.
Under the Centre's Blue Revolution scheme, fishermen from the southern edge of the state's coastline will be able to venture far from land and overcome the difficulties of fishing in the Palk Strait, where the Sri Lankan navy has repeatedly detained them and confiscated their boats.
Modi said the Centre will extend loans and subsidies from an allocation of 1,500 crore to allow these fishermen to convert their vessels into deep sea liners and acquire the gear required for expeditions far from the coastline. He also distributed letters of sanction to five select beneficiaries under the scheme.
"The Indian Ocean and the 7,500km coastal line of India is full of investment potential," the Prime Minister said, adding that the Centre had conceived the Sagarmala Project, a strategic and customer-oriented initiative to modernise Indian ports with this in mind.
