The Hindu : Matsyafed to write off loans of deceased

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jan 07, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala

Matsyafed to write off loans of deceased

By Our Staff Reporter

KOLLAM Jan. 6. The Matsyafed chairperson, J. Mercykuttyamma, said that the Matsyafed has decided to write-off the housing loan amount due from the deceased fishermen. Presiding over the State Government's Loan Relief Adalat for Fishermen of Kollam district, she said the Matsyafed would be writing off Rs. 2 crores in this manner in Kollam district alone.

The adalat is for those who had availed the loans for the housing scheme implemented between 1976 and 1998 by the Matsyafed and the Fisheries Department for the fishing community. She said that similarly, the loans availed by those who are now bed-ridden would also be written off.

The beneficiaries of all such loans being written off through the adalat would be given their pattayams. Others who are prepared to pay up the dues would be exempted from penal interest. For those who had taken loan for purchase of fishing equipments under various self-employment schemes, the adalat would provide the opportunity for a one-time settlement of the loan with full exemption on penal interest.

Out of the 1,400 plus applications received for the Kollam adalat, 182 fish workers who had availed loan for housing are now dead and 174 applicants are bed ridden. She said that as part of the welfare measures for the fishing community being implemented by the State Government through the Matsyafed, a scheme is being evolved for granting subsidy on kerosene to fish workers. A study is also underway for exploring measures to utilise the fishing sector for the promotion of tourism in the State.

The Fisheries Minister, K.V. Thomas, who inaugurated the adalat said that Rs. 15 crores has been sanctioned to the Matsyafed to provide relief to the fish workers through the adalat. While Rs. 2 crores for the purpose has already been already been allocated the remaining amount would be released in phases by the month of March.

The Minister said the fishing community in the State is socially and financially still very backward. Successive Governments and NGOs have by and large failed in coming to the rescue of the fishing community even in the hour of crisis. The UDF Government intends giving a new approach to fishermen welfare, he said.

Prof. Thomas said while the CRZ rules come in the way of granting pattayams to those fishermen who have constructed houses within 50 meters of the coast, the government intends granting such fishermen full possession rights.

The Labour Minister, Babu Divakaran, who distributed the financial aid to the beneficiaries on the occasion said that the activities of the various agencies would be coordinated for the purpose of streamlining the welfare measures for the fish workers. The Rajya Sabha Member, N.K. Premachandran, Pratapavarma Thampan, MLA, the Matsya Board chairman, A.P. Jayaseelan, and the Matsyafed members, Basil Lal and Sanjeev, spoke.

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