'State to provide insurance, identity card to fishermen'

KOLKATA: State Fisheries minister Biplab Roy Chowdhury on Thursday announced that soon his department will provide insurance to the fishermen who venture into the sea to catch fish.

Moreover, the Fisheries department will be providing identity cards to all fishermen.

On Thursday, during a conference organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) on livestock Roy Chowdhury mentioned that the trend of catching Hilsa fingerlings (Khoka ilish) might lead to the non-availability of quality Hilsa.

As a result, the people of Bengal may not be getting good quality Hilsa. He urged the fishermen not to catch hilsa fingerlings and said: "People should be aware of its adverse consequences."

Roy Chowdhury also informed that they are putting more stress on medicine-free prawn production as the present trend of using medicine in prawn production is hampering the business.

Apart from Roy Chowdhury, state Animal Resources Development (ARD), Swapan Debnath proposed to the businesspersons present at the conference to set up skimmed milk manufacturing facilities.

"The demand of skimmed milk in our state is high. If we can produce skimmed milk here, then our state will be benefitted," he said.

"It is my proposal. If anybody wishes to set up such a manufacturing unit, the ARD department may provide land and extend all possible help," he said.