Amendment status not verified — confirm the current text below against the official source.
Repeal and saving. _____ 3 ACT 7 OF 1981 THE KERALA FISHERMEN WELFARE SOCIETIES ACT, 1980* An Act to provide for the organization of fisheries village and to constitute fishermen Welfare Societies for such villages with a view to develop the economic, social and cultural life of the fishermen community in the State of Kerala. Preamble.— Whereas the main avocation and means of livelihood of the fishermen community in the State of Kerala is fishing; And whereas the entire economy of more than four hundred villages, which are inhabited mainly by members of the fishermen community, depends upon the income of those members from fishing operations including sale of the catches; And whereas the fishermen are, to a large extent, indebted to money lenders who are exploiting the economy of the fishermen community in general; And whereas the boats, crafts and nets used for fishing are not owned by the fishermen, but by others who exploit the fishermen by expropriating the major part of their earnings as rent of such implements and other charges in respect thereof; And whereas the fishermen are also exploited by money-lenders and middlemen by purchasing or otherwise depriving them of their catches without payment of the due price therefor, either by advancing money or by any other method; And whereas the fishermen are so deprived of the legitimate fruits of their industry and labour; And whereas it is necessary to end exploitation of fishermen by money-lenders and middlemen and to develop the economic, social and cultural life of the fishermen community; BE it enacted in the Thirty-first Year of the Republic of India as follows:—