HYDERABAD, Oct 16: Sindh Minister for Fisheries Zahid Ali Bhurgari has said that the PPP government is trying to improve the living standard of the fishermen and has started different poverty alleviation schemes and survey works for their uplift.

He was speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the Fishermen Betterment Programme. Under the programme, 100,000 fish seed each were scattered in the River Indus downstream and in KB Feeder at Kotri Barrage.

The minister said that the process would be carried out at other barrages and canals for the betterment of the poor fishermen.

Mr Bhurgari said that studies in fish breeding had revealed that due to water shortage and pollution in Indus River and its allied canals, fish potential in natural waters was decreasing subsequently causing huge financial losses to the fishermen.

He said that the present government keeping in view this alarming situation, had expedited artificial breeding of fish at fish hatchery at Chilya in Thatta district and the schemes of new fish hatcheries were being conceived where fish seed in different species would be produced in millions.

The minister said that this seed now was being transferred and scattered in the Indus River and its allied canals with a view to increasing fish potential in natural waters.

Mr Bhurgari said that different residential projects for fishermen were being implemented, which included establishment of model villages for fishermen one each at Manchhar Lake, Keenjhar Lake and Zero Point of Badin district.

He said that in addition to that, the Sindh government was also implementing a scheme to provide housing facilities to the poor fishermen along the coastal areas of Sindh for which Rs2 billion had already been earmarked.

Similarly, a scheme to help the poor fishermen had also been launched under which each deserving fisherman would be provided with boat, fishing net, ice box and bicycle free of cost to enable him to carry on with his business, he added.