Mangaluru : Minister for Fisheries, Ports and Inland Transport Kota Srinivas Poojari on Thursday said the department is planning to open Matsya Darshini canteens in all taluk headquarters in the State.

He was speaking after being felicitated by the Dakshina Kannada and Udupi District Cooperative Fish Marketing Federation here. Mr. Poojari said that the canteens are offering quality sea food at affordable prices to people wherever they are functioning.

It is the department’s intention to provide similar facilities across the State wherein quality seafood is made available, he said. As such, the department would give special focus on extending the Matsya Darshini canteens. The Minister said that there was a need for greater participation of fishermen in the functioning of the department. Hitherto, the Minister and officials were running the department; however, henceforth, fishermen would have a greater say in its functioning, he said.

Mr. Poojari said that the department is considering the demand to increase the kerosene quota for traditional fishermen from the present 180 litres a month to 300 litres. Having received representations to this effect, the Department is working on the proposal, he said. Legislators from fishermen communities would be considered while making appointments to the Fisheries Board, the Minister added.

The Minister said that he would soon hold a meeting with the Chief Minister with regard to waiver of fishermen’ loan in the cooperative sector. Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, immediately after assuming the office, had announced loan waiver for fishermen. However, it was believed to be restricted to commercial banks only and there were demands from federation members in the annual general meeting on Thursday to extend the facility to cooperative banks too.

Federation president Yashpal Suvarna, fishermen leaders Praveen Naik, Nithin Kumar, Shiva Kumar, Mohan Bengre, K. Ganesh, Sushmitha, Kishore, Deputy Registrar of Cooperative Societies B.K. Saleem and others were present.

Earlier, Mr. Suvarna presided over the annual general meeting of the federation wherein members expressed their views and put forth many demands for the welfare of fishermen and the growth of the sector.