[Reader-list] Fishers to take protest to national capital

[T Peter]

*Fishers to take protest to national capital*

*http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/fishers-to-take-protest-to-national-capital/article6995293.ece
<http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/fishers-to-take-protest-to-national-capital/article6995293.ece>*

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

Expressing dissatisfaction at the poor allocation for the fishing community
in the Union Budget and the alleged neglect of the sector, members of the
community under the banner of the National Fishworkers Forum (NFF) will
take out a march to Parliament on April 22 raising their demands.

T. Peter, national secretary, said in a statement here on Saturday that the
decision was taken at a meeting of NFF office-bearers at Mangalore on
Friday. "This year's budget has slashed the allocation for the sector by
Rs.10.16 crore compared to the previous year's budget."

Mr. Peter said Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, including Prime Minister
Narendra Modi, during the campaign for the Lok Sabha elections last year
had stated that demands of the fisher community, including a fisheries
ministry, would be met if the BJP came to power. But the sector was
neglected in the budget, he said.

Mr. Peter said considering the fact that the fisheries sector was providing
0.7 per cent of the GDP, the proportional allocation to the sector, both
Plan and non-Plan, should be not less than Rs.12,000 crore. "Only if there
is a separate ministry can such demands be justifiably met," he said.

During the march, the NFF would also demand scrapping of the controversial
recommendations of the Meenakumari panel report. The meeting was presided
over by M. Ilango, NFF chairman.