KANNUR: Efforts to sensitise people's representatives and self-help groups (SHG) to the implementation of the micro enterprise development programme by the Society for Assistance to Fisherwomen (SAF) as part of comprehensive rehabilitation schemes in tsunami-affected areas are under way in the nine coastal districts in the State.

The State Government is taking up projects estimated at Rs.1,441.75 crore under the Tsunami Emergency Assistance Project (TEAP) and the Tsunami Rehabilitation Project (TRP) with the objective of social and economic development of people in tsunami-affected areas in the State. The projects, to be implemented through various agencies, including the Fisheries Department, Matsyafed, SAF, Agency for Aquaculture Development in Kerala and Fisheries Resource Management Society, are scheduled to be completed by 2009.

SAF is entrusted to carry out the micro enterprise development schemes in the villages and areas notified by the Government as tsunami-affected areas in the nine coastal districts. The SHGs, cooperative societies and the activity groups comprising members from them will be the beneficiaries of the micro enterprise development scheme.

Officials at the Department of Fisheries say that the objective of the scheme is to ensure permanent source of income for people in the tsunami-affected areas. A major attraction of this scheme is that 62.5 per cent of the cost of setting up a micro enterprise unit will be subsidised. SAF is planning to have 2,000 micro enterprises set up over the next four years. These units will go a long way in increasing income of fisherwomen and raising their standards of living, the officials add.

The process of sensitising the SHGs and peoples' representatives to the importance of the micro-enterprise development programme was completed in the Kannur district on Friday. The district has 26 villages notified as tsunami-affected areas. "Awareness programmes held in six centres in the district over the last week was successful as they highlighted the prospects of micro enterprises, job opportunities and the care required for making them profitable," said Dineshan Cheruvat, Assistant Director of Fisheries here.

The areas notified as tsunami-affected in the district include Kannur municipality, Thalassery municipality, Anthur area of Taliparamba municipality, Payyannur municipality, Muzhappilangad, Edakkad, Elayavur, New Mahe, Dharmadom, Pinarayi, Azhikode, Valapattanam, Chirakkal, Narath, Madayi, Mattool, Ezhome, Kannapuram, Cherukunnu, Pappinissery, Ramanthali and Kunhimangalam grama panchayats.

The officials said that applications from beneficiaries would be called for soon. The application forms could be received and submitted at Matsyabhavan offices, they added.

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