Fisheries University at Nagapattinam

Chennai, Sep 13 : The Tamil Nadu government will establish a FisheriesUniversity at Nagapattinam at an estimated cost of Rs 30 crore, Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa told the state Assembly today.

statement under Rule 110, she said, with a coastline of 188 km, Nagpattinam was emerging as the hub of fishing activities, with 9,000 fishing vessels involved in fishing. Noting that the fishing harbour in the district was being modernised, Ms Jayalalithaa said Nagapattinam was the preferred choice for setting up the Fisheries University.

She said the varsity would come up in an 85 acre area in Panangudi and Nagore villages. In the first phase, the Fisheries college and Research Institute at Tuticorin, the Research wing of the fisheries department, the Chennai-based Fisheries Institute of Technology and Training, fisheries employees training centre and the Tamil Nadu Maritime University would be affiliated to the University.

She said the new University would offer courses in cultivation of shrimp farming, prawn, ornamental and other types of fishes, fish processing cum value added product, maintenance of fishing harbours and machinery and inland and sea water training. Ms Jayalalithaa said the University would play a key role in upgrading the exchange of technology, extended education, HRD and the benefits of fisheries wealth.

Those undergoing training in the University would also get placements in India and abroad, she added. Stating that her government was giving importance to modernise the fisheries department and make Tamil Nadu the Numero Uno state in fish exports, the Chief Minister said steps were taken to establish fish dressing centres, purchase of mechanised fishing boats, encourage deep sea fishing, upgrading the infrastructural facilities and providing assistance to the fishermen.

''Steps were also taken to set up cold storage units,'' she added. The main aim of thefisheries University, being set up on the lines of those existing in neighbouring Kerala and in several countries, was to improve the fish wealth in the state, introduce modern technology to ensure a sustained revenue for fishermen and to encourage fishing education.

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