Mangalore: Minister for Urban Development Vinay Kumar Sorake on Thursday Nov.14 inaugurated the head office Co-operative Fish Marketing Federation Limited in the harbour of Mangalore.

Speaking on the occasion Sorake said that there was a persistent need to develop all the 18 ports on the coast line of Karnataka to help trade of imports and exports besides fisheries.

The proposed fishing harbour at Kulai at a cost of Rs.165 crores will go a long way in transforming the fishing communities activities in catching fish and selling them in newly  constructed markets all over the coast line from Ullal to Karwar.

The state govt., Minister Sorake added given a boost to the fishing industry on the coastal districts and had proposed construction of retaining walls Ullal to Yermal and Kaup to Maravanthe were sea erosions of the land had taken place during a prolonged monsoon. The walls are to be build again at a cost of Rs 263 crores, loaned by Asian Development Bank (ADB) to the state for the purpose. Old harbours at Mangalore and Malpe are to be redressed and Maravanthe harbour to be reconstructed soon, the Minister said.

City MLA J.R. Lobo also spoke on the occasion on the need to strengthen the hands of fishing community by giving them all necessary materials such as trawlers Diesel and Nets in the deep sea.

Former MLA Lalaji R Mendon, Vijay Kumar and Seetamma Teacher were present.

The new office building of the federation was built in the memory of its founder-president late R D Mendon.