Thiruvananthapuram: A regional centre of the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) will be established in Kerala, the office of Union Minister George Kurian said.

The decision to set up the NFDB regional centre was announced by Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying and Panchayati Raj Rajiv Ranjan Singh, popularly known as ‘Lalan’ Singh, at a meeting held in Hyderabad, according to the statement on Monday.

Since George Kurian assumed charge as Union Minister, projects worth more than ₹1,000 crore have been implemented in Kerala through the ministries under his purview, his office said. A substantial share of this funding has been utilised to strengthen infrastructure in the fisheries sector.

Officials said the proposed NFDB regional office is aimed at the overall development of fisheries in Kerala. The centre will coordinate efforts to increase fish production, upgrade fisheries infrastructure and generate employment opportunities across the state.

The regional centre will focus on both marine fisheries and inland fisheries, with special emphasis on promoting fish farming in ponds, lakes and other inland water bodies. It will work towards integrating marine, inland and coastal fisheries to ensure balanced and sustainable growth of the sector.

As part of the initiative, facilities such as fish harbours, fish landing centres, cold storage units and drying units are planned for fishermen. The centre will also promote environment-friendly aquaculture, seaweed farming and marine culture, while providing training and technical support to fishermen and fisheries entrepreneurs, the statement added.

PTI