Jagan Releases Rs 161.86 Cr as Fourth Tranche of Financial Assistance to Fishermen

Vijayawada: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has released Rs 161.86 crore as the fourth tranche of financial assistance to fishermen who lost their livelihood due to laying of ONGC pipelines in the BR Ambedkar Konaseema and Kakinada districts.

Virtually releasing the amount from the Camp Office here on Tuesday, marking World Fisheries Day, the Chief Minister reiterated his commitment to the welfare of the fishermen's families.

He explained that an amount of Rs 69,000 each would be directly credited into the bank accounts of 23,458 affected fishermen. This is as per the state government’s plan of extending a monthly assistance of Rs 11,500 to them for six months - from January to June, 2023.

He said, so far, the government paid Rs 485 crore to the families of the affected fishermen. The government also took steps to pay the dues that were kept pending during the Telugu Desam rule.

The CM was to originally scheduled to release the amount during his tour of Sullurpeta Assembly constituency on Tuesday. His trip was cancelled due to heavy rains.

Regretting that the welfare of fishermen was neglected by Chandrababu Naidu during the TD rule, the Chief Minister said the YSRC government paid '78 crore that was kept pending by the GSPC (Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation) since 2012, and later recovered the sum from the company.

Even in the case of ONGC, the state government released the amount first to the fishermen and later recovered it from the company, he said, and thanked the ONGC management for extending support to the fishermen.

The Chief Minister said the government took quick steps to extend financial help to the boat owners who lost their boats in the fire mishap at the Visakhapatnam Fishing Harbour.

Orders were issued to the officials to hand over the compensation cheques immediately to fishermen's families, he said, adding that all affected fishermen would receive 80 per cent compensation on the value of boats destroyed.

Fisheries commissioner Kannababu, who virtually participated in the programme, informed the CM that AP bagged the Best Fisheries State Award and state officials went to Gujarat to receive it at a specially arranged function.

Kiliveti Sanjivaiah, Sullurpet MLA, SPSR from Nellore collectorate, said this was a decades-old dream of the fishermen in the area. “The desire to restore the sea mouth of Pulicat Lake had not materialised, but this is happening now with CM Jagan Mohan Reddy’s efforts,” he said.

Sanjivaiah said that the programme has been cancelled due to rain. “There has been no rain since Nara Lokesh came to this area. But since CM Jagan Mohan Reddy is coming, it is raining and the farmers are happy.”

A fisherman Pallepu Rambabu, Mummidivaram mandal, who is a beneficiary from Konaseema collectorate, said fishermen were very happy as Jagan Mohan Reddy empathised with the plight of the fishermen community. “In the past, no one cared for the fishermen community. Jagan Mohan Reddy gave us a promise during his padayatra that he would resolve the compensation issue. The CM kept his word and the fishermen are indebted to Jagan Mohan Reddy.”

Fisheries minister Appla Raju and senior officials were present. Kakinada collector Kritika Shukla and Ambedkar Konaseema collector Himanshu Shukla participated in the programme virtually.