The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) has sanctioned ₹44 crore for the implementation of various innovative projects proposed by the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies.

The projects include a five-storeyed academic complex, an ocean studies campus and a hatchery for grey mullet (thirutha), at the fisheries station of the varsity in Puthuvypeen.

The objective of the academic complex is to provide adequate physical support for the newly started PG courses.

The university is offering 34 PG programmes and one UG course. It is proposed to add 10 more PG programmes in the next academic year. The complex will have all modern amenities to increase the quality of education in fisheries, ocean science and allied areas, B Madhusoodana Kurup, Vice-Chancellor, said.

A separate hatchery for producing seeds of grey mullet (thirutha), first of its kind in the country, is one of the dream projects of KUFOS. Farming of the species is not popular compared to other varieties, mainly due to the lack of seeds, he said.