KAKINADA: As many as 31,662 fishermen families got Rs 31.65 crore as compensation towards the losses they incur due to ban on fishing during the conservation period from April 15 to June 14. Each family was paid Rs 10,000 in East and West Godavari districts Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy extended the benefits under the YSR Fishermen Bharosa Scheme on Tuesday through a video conference.
East Godavari collector D. Muralidhar Reddy said that 30,213 fishermen families including 84 OCs, 198 SCs and 11 STs were getting Rs 30.21 crore aid. He said the government had already released Rs 78 crore compensation to be given by Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation.
West Godavari collector Karthikeya Misra said that 1,449 families would get Rs 1.44 crore in the district. Narasapuram MLA M. Prasada Raju handed over a cheque for the amount to the fisheries department officials.
Participating in the video conference, a fisherman Barre Lakshmi Narasimha Raju of China Boddu Venkatayapalem in Tallarevu mandal praised the Jagan Mohan Reddy government for implementing the welfare schemes for the fishermen community.
Expressing his happiness over getting Rs 10,000 into his account, he said that during the Covid-19 pandemic period, the fishermen were facing difficulties to get even loans from private financiers and under such circumstances, the state government provided a breather to them. He mentioned that in the past, if an elder or bread-winner of the family died, the family used to face difficulties for eking out their livelihood. But, now, the government was giving Rs.10 lakh compensation to such bereaved families and it would help them greatly. He opined that if the government established more minor ports on the lines of fishing harbours, the fishermen would get employment.
Participating in the video conference from the collectorate at Kakinada, BC Welfare Minister Ch. Srinivasa Venugopala Krishna said that the CM increased the subsidy on diesel from Rs 6.03 to Rs 9. Kakinada MLA Dwarampudi Chandrasekhara Reddy advised that the fishermen get their nets and boats repaired during the conservation period.
