Imphal, March 11: The Fishery Department is holding back a sum of Rs 13/14 crores sanctioned under Rural Infrastructure Development Fund for fishermen of the State, said Deputy Manager of National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) Sonamani Yambem.

Speaking as chief guest at a workshop organised by the Fishery Development Foundation at Hotel Imphal today Sonamani said that NABARD convinced the Ministry concerned to sanction Rs 13/14 crores to provide loans to 1000 fishermen under Rural Infrastructure Development Fund.

The said amount should be distributed to fishermen as loans by the State Fishery Department.

Even as the sanctioned amount has been deposited at the Fishery Department, fishermen are yet to get the loans, he decried.

Sonamani appealed to the Fishery Development Foundation to investigate the matter.

Today's workshop programme was attended by Professor of Economics Mohendro of Manipur University, Director of Fishery Department Karam Saratkumar, Deputy General Manager of Manipur State Co-operative Bank Ltd K Indramani, Manger of SBI Bishnupur Branch Diganta Gupta and Chairman of Manipur Rural Bank Shyamal Saha as president and guests of honours.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof Mohendro said that the initiative of the Government of India to bring economic upliftment to the rural areas is based on the Green Revolution, White Revolution, Yellow Revolution and Blue Revolution.

Of the four revolutions, the most suitable to Manipur is the Blue Revolution under which fishermen are being encouraged to take up pisciculture with the objective to bring about economic revolution in rural areas, he observed.

He lamented that there is a communication gap between fishermen and State officials of the Department concerned.

To bring about a successful economy based on fishery, such communication gaps should be effectively addressed.

Secretary of Fishery Development Foundation Hemanta Salam noted that fish production in the State is still unable to meet the domestic demand.

Quoting a survey report of 2004-05, he informed that annual fish production in the State was 17,000 metric tonnes while the actual demand of the State was 23,000 metric tonnes.

The deficit quantity of 6000 metric tonnes is being imported from outside the State.

During the programme, many fishermen highlighted inconveniences and hardships experienced by them in their vocation.

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