MAPUSA
For a change, the members of the treasury benches on Friday questioned the disappearance of government-sponsored fish vans providing fish at subsidised rates and demanded the restarting of the scheme to provide cheap fish to the common man.
Firing the first salvo, Margao MLA Digambar Kamat said that fish was the staple diet of Goans and since it was available for a premium, it was out of reach of the common man.
He said some years ago the fisheries ministry was running a scheme of selling fish at a subsidised rate through refrigerated mobile vans.
“The fish through the mobile vans sold like hot cakes as it was supplied at a subsidised rate. What on earth has happened to those vans? Why doesn’t the government re-start the scheme and make fish available to the people?” Kamat asked, raising the question during Question Hour.
Navelim MLA Ulhas Tuenkar said that the vans were very popular in his constituency but were not visible for the last couple of years.
“The vans provided fish at a good rate and had fantastic demand. We must see where these vans have gone,” Tuenkar said.
Fisheries Minister Nilkanth Halarnkar informed the House that the scheme was run through funds provided by the Central government which has since been discontinued.
“We had procured five refrigerated fish vans in 2015-16 and another four in 2019. After the Central government stopped releasing the funds, the scheme was discontinued,” Halarnkar said.
Kamat said if the Central government has stopped funding the scheme then the State government should launch the scheme on similar lines since it was a hit among the common man.
“The government should either sell the fish through the refrigerated mobile vans or erect fish stalls at different places to supply the subsidised fish,” he said.
The Margao MLA sought to know what mechanism the fisheries department adopted to check the quality and ensure that the fish was sold at a subsidised rate.
Halarnkar informed that the department kept a watch on the fish supply and carried out inspections twice a year.
“The inspections should be carried out at least two or three times a month. Otherwise, those selling the fish will carry out the business as a commercial venture,” Kamat said.
The Fisheries Minister assured the members that the government will ask the Centre to review the scheme.
Bicholim MLA Chandrakant Shetye said it would be interesting to know whether the scheme was profitable.
“Did the government carry out a study to find out if the scheme was profitable or beneficial for the common man?” Shetye asked.
