MARGAO
In line with the Central Government Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme of giving subsidy directly to the consumer instead of the manufacturer, the Navelim Civic & Consumer Forum has demanded the Goa government should come out with a scheme to subsidise fish, instead of giving subsidy to the trawler owners.
At the monthly meeting of Navelim Civic & Consumer Forum on Sunday, members felt that instead of subsidising diesel for trawlers, where there is scope for misuse, Goa Government could buy the fish at a good price from Goan trawlers, subsidise it and sell it to Goans.
“Here, trawler owners will be assured of good prices for their catch and Goemkars will get good, safe and affordable fish,”
stated Forum Secretary Joseph L R Vaz.
He, however, said to achieve this objective, the Fisheries Department will have to set up a Corporation like the Horticulture Corporation and invest in a cold storage and use the existing mobile fish vans to sell fish all over Goa.
“Fisheries Department should take the help of Agriculture Department which is doing a good job of controlling the vegetable prices in Goa through the Horticulture Corporation. They broke the cartels which were taking Goans for a ride. Credit must be given to their retired director Orlando Rodrigues who had to bear a lot of attack from these cartels,” he added.
Saying that fish is dearer than vegetables to Goans, Joseph requested the Goa Government to work out a good scheme so that fresh and affordable fish is made available to the people.
He suggested that the Fisheries Department also put to good use its two deep-sea fishing vessels. The forum demanded to know what was the use of giving subsidies to trawler owners, which is paid from the Government treasury, when the fish does not reach Goemkars.
“It is the traders from outside Goa who are controlling the fish business, they decide the rate of the fish and how much quantity to sell in the market. They have excellent political patronage and have set up enough storage facilities to take control of this business,” he said.
“The Forum had given these suggestions to ex-MLA, Avertano Furtado, when he was the Fisheries Minister and he had appreciated and had expressed his desire to implement these, but it didn’t happen. Now we request the new Fisheries Minister to do something for Goans, who are desperately looking for safe fish to eat,” Joseph added.
