Goa govt to probe delay in distribution of RFID cards

The Goa government today assured the House to probe the delay in releasing Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) cards to fishermen in the coastal state, despite start of the fishing season.
The fishing season began from July 31 after a 61-day ban with trawlers at various jetties getting ready to venture into the sea.
Fisheries Minister Vinod Palyekar told the state legislative assembly that government will initiate inquiry into the delay in issuing RFID cards to the fishermen in absence of which they are not able to venture for fishing.
"I will direct secretary of fisheries department to conduct inquiry into the matter and submit me report by August 17," Palyekar assured the House after opposition benches raised the issue.

NCP MLA Churchill Alemao and Congress legislator Francis Silveira raised it during the Zero Hour.
The minister admitted that there is a "complete delay in distributing RFID cards to the fishermen."

He said similar delay has been witnessed during last two years.
"I got the file for approval from the department on August 4 and after its study, I observed that there are several irregularities in it. Also for last two years there has been delay in distributing these cards," Palyekar said. He added that the cards should have been issued before commencement of the fishing season.
Fishing is a major industry in the coastal state which has seven jetties where the catch is landed before either exporting it or selling in local market.