Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated 'Prateeksha' (meaning hope),  which comprises 192 flats constructed as part of fishermen's rehabilitation project following cyclone Ockhi that affected Kerala in 2016. The chief minister inaugurated the project on Wednesday at the Muttathara housing complex with fisheries minister J Mercy Kutty Amma. 

Vijayan repeated twice during the key handover function of the complex that the Muttathara housing complex, built for 192 fisher families, is the first phase of the state's fishermen housing programme. 

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During the function, Pinarayi Vijayan said, “We continue to study the problems of the fishermen and based on that, we continue to come up with various projects to better the lives of the fisher folk.”

The buildings were constructed by Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society (ULCCS). The project, which kick-started in 2017, is worth Rs 20 crore. 

'Pratheeksha' was handed over to those fishermen, whose homes were destroyed in 2016. Cyclone Ockhi, which hit the Kerala coast in 2016 had made things tougher for these families as the sea became rougher.

These fishermen of the state were also praised for their role in the rescue operations during the devastating floods that hit Kerala in August this year. 2,826 fishermen participated in rescue operations in Kerala floods. And 699 boats were used for rescuing 65,000 people. Of the 192 houses handed over by the government, many had played a crucial part in the rescue operations.