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| Sunday, 13 March 2005 |
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Outright grants to kick-start fishing industry by Anura Maitipe A special financial grant has been provided for the fishing community to kick-start the fishing industry affected by tsunami, a spokesman for the Ministry of Fisheries and Ocean Resources told the Sunday Observer. Under this program a fuel allowance of Rs. 30,000 has been provided for trawlers. Fixed engine type boats will get Rs. 7,000, outboard craft and traditional fishing craft Rs. 5,000. These funds have been provided by the Fisheries Ministry to purchase fuel for fishing craft to launch them back into the sea, he said. The spokesman added that Rs. 30,000 fuel is sufficient for a trawler for two months sail, Rs. 7,000 for fixed engine craft to sail 1,200 nautical miles and Rs. 5,000 is sufficient for outboard craft and traditional boats to sail 1,300 nautical miles, he added. All affected fishing families had also been provided with Rs. 500,000 to re-construct their houses. Under this program 40 houses at a cost of Rs. 200 million have been already reconstructed at Peraliya in Hikkaduwa. This program would be continued in all other tsunami affected districts too, he said. The daily catch of fish which had dropped to zero level, following tsunami disaster has now reached over 2,500 tons per day. With the provision of fuel subsidy the ministry expected to reach the set target of 5,000 tons of fish per day as it stood before tsunami disaster, he added. |
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