Mission Samudra coastal economy development project will create 1L jobs by 2031 Keralam CM

Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 29 (PTI) Keralam Chief Minister V D Satheesan on Thursday said that the 'Mission Samudra' project of the government was a five-year maritime economic transformation initiative that aims to integrate all the major and minor ports in the state, creating over a lakh jobs by 2031.

Satheesan said, in the assembly, that the project is not just a fisheries project, but a comprehensive development of the coastal economy and a mission fund of Rs 400 crore has been allocated for 2026-27.

The chief minister further said that the livelihood and skill development of the fishing and coastal community have been incorporated into the project design itself.

The CM was replying to a submission in the assembly by Congress MLA A D Thomas regarding the initiation of skill development courses for youth and women in the fields of fisheries, value addition, marketing, logistics and tourism in connection with the Mission Samudra project.

He said that the project aims to develop the Vizhinjam International Port, minor ports in the state, road, rail and waterway connectivity, logistics parks, maritime clusters and port-linked cities into an integrated maritime economy.

As part of the Maritime Cluster Development Programme, a Marine Export Zone and Seafood Park and Coastal Aquaculture and Marine Food Processing Cluster have been envisaged, with the Department of Fisheries being tasked with implementing them, he said.

"Fishermen's livelihood protection, cold chain and integration of Fish Producers' Organisations (FPO) are also part it," he added.

Besides that, in each port area, a 'Coastal Community Livelihood Zone' has been planned, which includes fishing infrastructure, community enterprises and skill centers, and an 'Innovation and Skills Zone', which includes training institutions, the CM said.

He further said that the social security provisions of the project include local skill development, transition assistance and benefit sharing for fishermen and coastal workers affected by the project activities.

"A 'Centre for Logistics Excellence and Maritime Innovation' has been envisaged for skill development and training in areas such as logistics, smart ports and green shipping. Partnerships with Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and polytechnics under the Department of Industries are also envisaged for skill development," Satheesan said.

He said that at the conclusion of the Mission Samudra Round Table Conference, it was announced that Aroor will be developed as a seafood hub, priority will be given to seafood exports and aquaculture, and academic programmes will be started in maritime law and logistics.

"It was also announced that reservation will be ensured for the youth of the coastal region in the projects under the mission. The Fisheries Department also raised the issue of skill development of the fishing community in the conference," he said.

As part of that, diploma courses in collaboration with institutions like Kerala Academy for Skills Excellence (KASE), Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) and Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS) will be examined, he said.

Additionally, special batches for women fishermen through Kudumbashree, Skill Centres at Alappuzha, Aroor and Mararikulam, apprenticeship in Matsyafed or Fisheries or Tourism departments, will be examined in consultation with the Fisheries, Tourism, Employment and Skill, Higher Education and Local Self Government departments, the CM said.

The government will consider including these in the implementation roadmap through integration with existing schemes, he added.

He further said that Mission Samudra is expected to generate employment opportunities mainly in the areas of port and terminal operations, coastal shipping and inland waterways.

"More opportunities will also be created in the state in logistics systems such as multimodal logistics parks, free trade warehousing zones, inland container depots, container freight stations, warehousing and cold chain," he said.

Satheesan said that employment is also expected to be generated in the areas of shipbuilding and repair, marine engineering, seafood processing and export, bunkering and green fuels.

"For this, it is essential to devise necessary skill development projects for the youth of the state," he said.

The CM also said that the government will examine the possibility of providing training to fisherwomen groups on a panchayat basis in the areas of value addition, packaging and online marketing with the help of institutions such as 'Society for Assistance to Fisherwomen (SAF)' and Kudumbashree.

"The possibility of establishing a Mission Samudra Spill Center centered in Alappuzha, Aroor and Mararikulam, where fish processing plants are operating, and then providing apprenticeships to those who receive training at Matsyafed, the Fisheries Department and the Tourism Department will also be examined," he added.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)