Visakhapatnam fishing harbour to receive fillip under Union Budget 2021-22

The Union Budget for 2021-22, announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday, stated that funds will be allocated for the development of five major fishing harbours- Visakhapatnam, Kochi, Chennai, Paradip and Peetuaghat. Presenting the budget in the Parliament, the Finance Minister said that these fishing harbours will be developed as hubs of economic activities.

As per the Union Budget announced by the Finance Minister, fishing harbours, fish landing centres along the banks of rivers and waterways will be developed in Visakhapatnam and other cities mentioned. It may be noted that the fishing harbour in Visakhapatnam has 750 boats, providing direct employment to about 10,000 individuals and indirect employment to thousands more. Industry experts in the city have opined that investments in the fishing harbour and fish landing centre would benefit Visakhapatnam.

However, it is to be noted that the Budget found no mention of the special railway zone in Visakhapatnam. The Ministry of Railways, in February 2019, announced that the South Coast Railway Zone (SCoR) will be established with Visakhapatnam as the headquarters. However, with little progress in the process of establishing the zone, since the announcement, several leaders and unions have urged the centre to execute the same at the earliest.

Meanwhile, YSRCP Parliamentary party leader V Vijayasai Reddy said that the Union Budget 2021-22 has not done any favours to Andhra Pradesh. Claiming that the Centre has met out step-motherly treatment to the state, the Rajya Sabha MP said that states like West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam and Kerala, which are bound to go to polls in the coming weeks, have been handed over more funds.