ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT OF FISHERMEN WELFARE AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES

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1 CHAPTER I1 ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT OF FISHERMEN WELFARE AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES Economic and social uplift of the weaker section of the society is one of the prime objectives of the constitution of India'. Social Welfare activities form one of the most important aspects of the development efforts of the country. Allieviation of the under privileged society from the clutches of poverty and malnutrition, exploitation and diseases was the priority concern of the constitution makers. The problems of welfare and development became an integral part of the development administration of the country. The constitution, while prohibiting discrimination against any citizen on the grounds of religion, race, caste etc recommends 'protective discrimination' for the upliftment of the weaker section. I. Dtrscllve Principles of Statc Policy, Cunstitutxon of Indta, 1950.

2 "Social security is protection furnished by society to its members through a series of public measures against the economic and social distress caused due to unemployment, invalidity, destitution, social disability and backwardness, oldage and death etc. Thus social security in braod terms would embrace social insurance, social assistance, family benefits, health care and other social services and related social welfare services,.the Social security and Welfare Schemes in the State are implemented through instititutional care measures and non- institutional The pathetic conditions of life of the Traditional Fishermen Community in Kerala demand top priority in policy formulation. To improve the plight of 9.85 lakhs (1991) of Fishermen people constituting about 3.36 percent of the total population in the State and faced with exploitation, malnutrition, poverty and diseases must be one of the priorities of the policy makers of the States Even after spending huge amounts for their education, protection 2. Go\,. 01'Kcrala Econorni; Rr.view State Planning Board. l'hiravanrnrh~pum

3 and upliftment, they are said to be still lagging behind. State initiative is a necessity for these suffering people. Upliftment of these people who are illiterate, illtreated, uncared for, exploited, frustrated and alienated must be the primary responsibility of a Govt. The Govt. has untertaken this responsibility of raising the status of the Fishermen Community. There are so many programmes through which central and state Govt. attempt to help this weaker section of society. Concrete steps for their upliftment have been taken up in all the five year plans. Kerala State The Kerala State is divided into 14 revenue districts. But the marine districts are only nine. Table 2.1 shows the District wise distribution of the Fishermen Community in Kerala, While the total fishermen population in Kerala is , the marine sector population is Out of the 9 marine districts, Thiruvananthapuram registers

4 the highest population (1,60,362) followed by Alapuzha (107171). The sea going fishermen population in the state is 1.57 lakhs. Unlike the general population there is preponderance of males in the population of fishermen. It is observed that the proportion of persons in the age group of work force and dependents is percent and percent respectively. Among marine fishermen the work force is percent and among inland fishermen it is 63.2 percent.

6 Both for the marine and inland, the major portion of the work force lies in the age group (25-44) while that of the dependants lies in the aye group (5-14) Table 2.2 illustrates the position. Table 2.2 Source: Department of Fisheries,Govt of Kerala

7 Literacy and educational attainments are the indicators of qualitative improvements in human resources. Even though economically and socially considered to be backward, the fishermen are not lagging much behind in education. Nearly 63 per cent of the males and 59 per cent of the females are literate.the male and female literacy rates of the general population are per cent and per cent respectively. Source: Department of Fisheries, Govt. of Kerala In the marine sector Christian families predominate while in the inland sector Hindu families predominate.

8 Table 2.3 THE PERCENTAGE DISTRIBUTION OF HOUSEHOLDS BY RELIGION IN THE MARINE AND INLAND SECTORS Sector Hindu Muslim Christian Total Marine lnland Total Source : Dept of Fisheries, Govt of Kerala Co~nmmunal distribution however varies widely from district to district. For instance, Christian fishermen are concentrated in Thiruvananthapuram and Alapuzha districts, Musilms are seen mostly in the northern districts Malappuram, Kozhikode and Kannur. Table 2.4 illustrates the situation.

9 Table 2.4 DISTRIBUTION OF FISHERMEN HOUSE HOLDS BY RELIGION (MARINE SECTOR) SI. No. Dislrict Hindu Muslim Christian Total I. Tl~iruva~iatl~apura~~~ Kollsm Patl~;~na~~ilhita Allapuzl~a Kottayam Idukki Ernakulam Thrissur Palakkad Mal;lppuraln x90 11 Kozhikode Wynild Kannur I 4 Kasargodc Total Source Dept of Fisheries Govt, of Kerala

10 It is seen that among fishermen, belong to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled tribes. They form about 4.64% of the total fishermen population. Table 2.5 shows the distribution of households and population of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Marine Sector).

11 Table 2.5 DISTRIBUTION OF HOUSEHOLDS AND POPULATION OF SCHEDULED CASTE AND SCHEDULED TRIBES. (MARINE SECTOR)

12 Administrative Agencies Fisheries Department is primarily concerned with the formulation, implementation, execution and administration of varlous schemes for the removal of social, educational and economical backwardness of the Fishermen community in the state Delegation of powers Director of Fisheries 1. Administrative Powers :- The director of fisheries enjoys wide range of powers and controls the overall administration of the Department. He is authorised to sanction appointments upto and including the lowest gazetted post in each category, subject to the Public Service Commission Recruitment Rules. Moreover he is the authority to sanction the creation of parttime posts paid from contingencies subject to budget provisions.

13 The Director is the authority for sanctioning all kinds of leave except study leave, specially disability leave and leave without allowance not exceeding 120 days to all affairs under him and also to make arrrangements for additional charge and sanction charge allowances under rule 53 (b) (ii) and (iii) KSR in case where no substitute is required. The Director is the authority to transfer and post all officers whom the director of fisheries is competent to appoint. Financial powers: The Director of fisheries is the authority to accord sanction for original works upto Rs 5,00,000/- (Rupees Five lakhs only) and to sanction maintenance and petty construction and repair works for execution on a proper estimate in each case without reference to public works department upto Rs. 25,0001-

14 The director of fisheries has the authority to sanction investigation of arrear claims by the Accountant General of all officers of the Department and under contingencies wh~ch are not more than five years old, to sanction all cases of temporary withdrawals from PF deposits by subordinate of the Department both in normal cases and in cases requiring special sanction and non refundable withdrawals from PF deposits subject to the other condition and constitution under the rules of the fund, to sanction advertisement charges upto Rs in each case subject to the condition that the rates are approved by the Director of Public Relations, to sanction purchase of stiltionary article locally in urgent and unforeseen circumstances upto limit of Rs at a time subject to a maximum of Rs per annum subject to budget provision and subject to observation of stores purchase rules, to sanction purchase of all kinds of books, periodicals and other publication pertaining to fisheries subject within the budget provision and to incur non-

15 recurring contingent expenditure upto Rs 15, in each case subject provision and rules in the Kerala Financial Code. The Director of Fisheries is empowered to write off irrecoverable arrears of Revenue and other irrecoverable amount including the value of stores upto Rs. 10,0001- in each case subject to an annual limit of Rs. 1,00,0001- the other conditions remaining the same and to sanction write off of the value of stores to the book value of Rs in each case an account of deficiency, depreciation or other causes provided that a copy of such order is sent to the Accountant General with a note of the circumstances which occasioned or led to the loss. More over he is authorised to dispose unserviceable boats of assessed value upto Rs.50, The Director of Fisheries enjoys power to purchase furniture subject to budget provision and also to the condition that no govt. agency is able to supply the

16 required furniture in time and the purchase is made after inviting competitive quotations to accord sanction expenditure on repairs to m'otor vehicles by approved workshops at the rates approved by the AEE, Regional Engineering Workshop upto Rs. 10,0001- including the cost of spareparts in each case without any annual limit, to sanction expenditure on repairs of mechanised boats including speed boats upto Rs.1,00,0001- subject to the condition that proper estimate should be got prepared and sanctioned before the work is enstrusted to any agency, to sanction photographic charges in the public interest upto Rs at a time subject to an annual limit of Rs to sanction expenditure for participation in exhibition or conducting exhibition and seminar upto Rs.15,000/- in each case. The Director of Fisheries is to execute all contracts, deeds etc relating to the department on behalf of the Governor of Kerala, to confirm leases of Fisheries of ri~hts by sanction or by tender as the case may be when the

17 highest rates are to be accepted to accept lowest tenders for the purchase and for the transport of salt for fish curing, to accept lowest tenders for the purchase of gunnies for the transport of salt and such other miscellaneous items upto a maximum limit of Ks. 10, The Director of Fisheries is the authority to allow subsidies at the rates approved by the Government of India subject to the rates to be framed by the State Government, to sanction loans to fishermen Co-operative Societies for the purchase of fishing implements and accessories and upto a miximum of Rs in each case subject to the conditions laid down in the rules issued for the purpose The Directorate of I'isheries: The Department has its head quarters at Trivandrum. It funct~ons under a director (IAS Cadre) who is assisted by an Additional Director, Marine enforcement and vigilance Police Superintendent Administrative Officer,

18 Finance Officer, Deputy Registrar, 3 Fisheries Deputy Directors (Marine, Inland, P & M), 2 Statistics Deputy Directors, 2 Assistant Directors, Propaganda Assistant and one Administrative Assistant. Moreover there is a legal officer, Legal officer (Technical) and Co-ordination officer also workng in the Directorate of Fisheries. For the administrative convenience, state is divided into 3 regions as Southern region, Central region and Northern region and all these regional officers are headed by an officer in the cadre Joint Director. The adiministrative officers of these three regions are at Trivandrum, Ernakulam and Kozhikode respectively. An officer in the cadre of Deputy Director is in charge of the marine districts of Trivandrum, Quilon, Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Cannanore, Kasarg;ode and in Palakkad District and in the Ernakulam Backwater and Training.

19 But the administrative charge of the disrticts Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Idukky, Waynad, Azheekode Regional Shrirnp Hatchery, Polachira National Institute etc are vested with an officer in the rank of Assistant Director. In the Indo-German Reservoir Fisheries Development Project at h4alampuzha there is a project Director in the Cadre of joint Director, Project Co- ordinator in the rank of Deputy Director, 4 Reservoir Managers in the cadre of Assistant Director, Farm Engineer, 2 Hatchery Assistants etc. In additon to this for the Fisheries Development, there is an agency named 'Fish Farmer's Development Agency' in all the districts in Kerala. The District Collector is the chairinan of this Agency. The Distr~ct Fisheries officer is the Chief Executive of this Agency.

20 For the Shrimp Farming Development there is an Agency working in the districts Kollam, Alapuzha, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Kozhikode and Cannanore. An officer in the cadre of Deputy Director on deputation from the Department of Fisheries will be in charge of this agency. There are 5 fishermen Training centres at Vizhinjam, Neendakara, Ernakulam, Bepur and Cannanore. The main purpose of these training centres is to give occupational training for the fishermen.to give better education to the wards of the fishermen there are Regional Fisheries Technical High Schools at Valiyathura (Trivandrum), Alappat (Quilon), Arthungal (Alapuzha), Thevara (Ernakulam), Chavakkad (Thrissur), Thanur (Malappuram), Bepur (Uozhikode), Quilandi (Kozhikode) and Kannur The technical high schools are purely residential and food and accomodation is free to them.

21 Fisheries Department is working jointly with other department of the state especially Harbour Engineering, Health Education, Harbour, Police and Revenue Deve1opme:nt activities of the Fisheries Department is executed through Matsyafed, (Kerala State Co-operative Federation for Fisheries Development Limited), Adak (Agency for Development of Aqua Culture Kerala) and welfare activities through Kerala Fishermen's Welfare Fund Board. The Kerala State Co-operative Federation for Fisheries Development (Matsyafed) The Kerala State Co-operative Federation for Fisheries Development (Matsyafed) is registered as a Cooperative Society with limited liability under the Kerala Cooperative Societies Act Its registered office shall be at Thiruvananthapuram Its operation shall extend to the whole Kerala State (Bye Laws of Matsyafed).

22 The administration of the Matsyafed is carried out by a duly elected Board of Directors and ex-officio members working in the capacity of secretary to Government, (Dept of Fisheries, Government of Kerala) Director of Fisheries, Secretary of Government (Finance- Expenditure), Representative of the N.C.D.C and Managing Director. The chairman is elected from the board of Directors. The Chief executive of the Federation shall be the Managing Director. The Managing Director shall be responsible for the general administration of the federation and shall excercise such powers and perform such duties as delegated to him by the Board of Directors from time to time in accordance.with the bye-laws of the Federation. At present the Managing Director of the Federation is an officer in the IAS cadre. The Managing Director is the authority to conduct the General business of the Federation and to

23 implement the policy and programmes laid down by the Board of Directors. He is the officer to sue and to be sued on behalf of the Federation. The Managing Director is the authority to receive all money on behalf of the federation and working funds of the Federation according to the decisions of the Board, to conduct negotiations and make arrangements for the business of the affiliated societies and to convene meetings of the Board of Directors as may be necessary. In the Head Quarters of the Matsyafed, the Managing Director is assisted by a General Manager, Executive (Marketing), Executive (Finance), Executive (Production and Processing), Executive (Inland Production)., Executive (Projects;~, Executive (Housing ), Co-ordinator, Public Relatives Officer, Hatchery Manager, Accounts Officer and Fisheries Development Officer. There are 5 District Fisheries Development Co- operative Limited in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam,

24 Ernakulam, Thrissur and Kannur Districts and 4 District Offices in Xlappuzha, Kozhikodt:, Malapppuram and Kasargode 'Districts. Moreover there is an Ice and Freezing plant at Kochi headed by a Deput). Regional Manager, Net complex at Kochi under the control of production supervisor, Prawn Hatcher); unit at Kannur Fish hleal and Oil plant at Azheekode, Fish Farms at Malappuram, Palaikari and Narakkal, a Fleet section at Irizag and fisheries Town ship pojec:t at Vizhinjam. There are 469 staff working in different capacities in the Federation. In the total staff mentioned above, 369 incumbents are of the Matsyafed, 43 officers are on Deputation and the rest of the staff is on Daily Wages, monthly wages, contract and on LWA. Kernl;i Fishermen's Welfare Fund Board (KFWFB) Kerala Fishermen's Welfare Fund Board was constituted on This Board came into existence on the basis of the directions c.ontained in Kerala Fishermen Welfare Fund Act 1985.

25 The Kerala Fishermen's Welfare Fund Board now consists of 8 members, three of them from the representatives of the fishermen community and the rest of the 5 members are government officials. The Head Qutirters of the Kerala Fishermen's Welfare fund Board is at Trissur. There are three Regional Offices-the Board Southern Regional Office at Thiruvananthapuram, Central regional office at Ernakulam and Northern regional office at Kozhhikode. The districts Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam. Idikki constitutes Southern region, the districts Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad constitutes central region and the Northern Region is constituted by Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wyanad Kannur and Kasargod. There are fisheries villages working under the administrative control of each Regional Offices. The fisheries officers are appointed in the Fisheries villages.

26 The Chief executive in the Head quarters is a commissioner. The commissioner is assisted by Joint Commissioner, Secretary, Finance Officer, Junior Executive Office Manager, 2 Senior Assistants, Four Junior assistants. The administrative head of the Regional Office is theregional Executive and he is assisted by Junior Executive Senior Assistant, Junior As,sistant, Fisheries Officer etc. The total strength of the staff working under the various offices of the Kerala Fishermen's Welfare Fund Board is 150. The Recruitment of the staff is mainly done by Deputation from different Government departments including the Department of Fisheries and Kerala Fisheries Corporation. Only a few were selected on direct recruitment method since till now the rules and regulations regarding the direct postings have not been-yet formulated. Agency for Development of Aquaculture, Kerala (ADAK) Agency for Development of Aquaculture, Kerala (ADAK) was c;onstituted on This project

27 is a joint venture of the Government of Kerala and the Government of Kuwait for the promotion of Aqua culture. The Head office of the ADAK is at Thiruvananthapurani and there are two Regional offices at Kannur and Ernakulam respectively. There is a Farm Office at Poyya (Thrissur Dist) and Ayiramthengu (Kollam District) and field offices at Cherthala and Njarakkal respectively. The mode of appointment is by deputation from different Government departments. Besides this direct postings are also being done with approval of the governing body of the ADAK. A staff selection committee is formulated for this purpose. The capital expenses, Revenue expenses etc, for the execution of the project is met by the Fisheries Department, Government of Kerala utilising the budgetory provision. In addition to the loan facility, the Department is financing certain joint ventures of the ADAK and the Department of Fisheries.

28 After independence central as well as the state Government in different per-iods have given priority for the welfare and development schemes to the various walks of people particularly to those under poverty line. Fishel-ies Sector is also not an exception. In Kerala welfat-e and Developlnetlt schemes are being implemented through the Department of Fisheries, and agencies like Matsyafed and Kerala Fishermen's Welfare Fund Board. More over Local level Administration aiso can play a vital role in this field. The recently implemented 'Panchayathi Raj and Nagarapalika legislation' has certain PI-ovisions in this regard. Though only limited powers were given to the local bodies they could do a lot of things in the impletnentation stage such as to find out the real beneficiaries and denying the exploitative role of the middle men. In other words effective implementation could be realised with the help of local bodies which is a necessity now a days.

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