Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, and Shri Parshottam Rupala, Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying, lay the foundation stone for the Modernisation and Upgradation Works of Cochin Fishing Harbour at Thoppumpady, Kerala. The total cost of this project is expected to be 1.69 billion. The whole project is supported by Grants from the Department of Fisheries' Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) Scheme (Rs.500 million) and the MoPSW's Sagarmala Project Scheme (Rs.500 million), with a PPP Operator investment of Rs.558.4 million. The first stage of the project entails building three air-conditioned auction halls, one non-air-conditioned hall, one fish dressing unit, and other ancillary units. Internal roads will be established, loading and unloading platforms will be erected, a waste management area will be formed, and there will be canteen facilities, drivers' waiting spaces, dredging work, machinery and equipment areas, and so on. The installation of four 60mx18m temperature-controlled auction halls with mechanical retrieval and transportation will boost the fishing harbour's capacity by 415 tonnes per day. During the inauguration, Shri Sarbananada Sonowal said, ‘our Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi believes in doubling production and boosting the fisheries sector. Under his leadership, both MoPSW and the Fisheries Department are working together to make this project a reality. Development of Cochin Fisheries harbour will support the fishermen and will boost the economy.’ ‘It is envisaged the export of fish and fish products will be Rs. 15 billion per annum on completion of the project. In addition, there will be substantial improvement in the hygienic conditions’, Shri Sonowal added. The Thoppumpady harbour is active for 10 months of the year, with the peak season occurring from August to November. On average, 40 to 60 vessels land in the harbour each day, contributing to a daily catch of 250 tons. Shrimp, cuttlefish, carangids, ribbon fish, seer fish, tuna, and marlins are the most common fish caught in the harbour. The flagship Sagarmala Program of the MoPSW is driving the country's maritime development, with 802 projects totaling Rs. 5.5 lakh crore slated for completion by 2035. 202 projects totaling Rs. 992.81 billion have been completed. Under the PPP model, a total of 29 projects totaling Rs. 450 billion have been successfully implemented, lowering the financial load on the exchequer. Another 32 PPP projects worth Rs. 510 billion are being implemented at the moment. Furthermore, over 200 projects worth Rs. 2.12 lakh crore are under construction and are slated to be finished in two years. MoPSW has partially sponsored 171 projects worth Rs. 109 billion throughout coastal states and UTs through Sagarmala. 48 projects totaling Rs. 29 billion have been completed, while 123 projects totaling Rs. 80 billion are in various phases of implementation and development. This Ministry sanctioned 37 projects worth Rs. 25 billion under the Sagarmala Scheme in fiscal year 22-23. 52 projects worth Rs. 402 billion have been completed in Public Private Partnership (PPP) format at Major Ports to harness the efficiency of the private sector in operations. 84 projects totaling Rs. 495 billion are also in various phases of implementation and development. Aside from the aforementioned, Sagarmala Development Company Limited has spent Rs. 5.3 billion in four projects in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and West Bengal, which have been completed. It should be highlighted that under the MoPSW's Sagarmala Programme, 9 fishing harbour projects totaling Rs 6.2 billion have been completed, benefiting 30,000 fishermen. Aside from that, 5 fishing harbours have been modernized at a cost of Rs. 5.5 billion. See also: Sonowal launches 'SAGAR SAMRIDDHI' for transparency & efficiency Machilipatnam port to be revived after 200 years