Bhubaneswar: Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Parshottam Rupala and Minister for Ports, Shipping & Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal will visit Paradip on 8 January to lay the foundation stone for the project on modernisation and upgradation of Paradip Fishing Harbour.
Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain, Jagatsinghpur MP Rajashree Mallick, local MLA Sambit Routray will also be present on the occasion.
The senior officials from Department of Fisheries, Government of India, Government of Odisha, National Fisheries Development Board, Paradip Port Authority, Indian Coast Guard, Fishery Survey of India, fishermen association and other dignitaries are expected to participate in the foundation laying ceremony.
Central Government has accorded approval to the proposal of Paradip Port Authority for modernisation and upgradation of Paradip Fishing Harbour at a total estimated cost of Rs 108.91 crore with 100% central financial assistance under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) in convergence with Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways under Sagarmala Scheme.
This fishing harbour project is implemented by Paradip Port Authority with a completion period of 18 months.
Paradip Fishing Harbour with an enclosed area of about 43 acres is one of major fishing harbours in Odisha located on the right bank of river Mahanadi, 2 km upstream of river mouth in Jagatsinghpur District.
The harbour was initially designed to accommodate 370 numbers of 10 m vessel, 80 numbers of 13 m vessel and 50 numbers of 15 m vessel and traditional crafts. At present about 640 numbers of 15 m vessels and 100 numbers of 9 m Gill Netter (FRP boats) are utilising the harbour facilities.
The modernisation and upgradation of the Paradip Fishing Harbour will improve its hygienic conditions and make the harbour clean, pollution free, aesthetically good looking by upgrading existing facilities, providing new, efficient and essential infrastructure facilities, mechanizing the fish process and good management practices by an efficient management body.
This modernisation of Fishing Harbour will improve the lives of the thousands of fishermen and allied workers who depend on the harbour for their livelihood.
The modernisation and value-addition activities taken up under the aforementioned project will also generate new employment opportunities of skilled and unskilled nature.
The project on modernisation and upgradation of Paradip Fishing Harbour envisages construction of a new Auction Hall, new Commercial Complex, Extension of Quay Wall, Shore Protection Works, Renovation of existing Auction Hall, Gear Shed, Fish Packing Shed, Ice crushing hall, first aid centre, raising of compound wall, electrical works, overhead water tank, solar power plant, solar lights, navigational aids/radio communication equipment, ETP, Fire Fighting Equipment, Market Complex and paving of roads, landscaping with other ancillary utilities & services etc.
