AP CM credits Rs.119.88 cr into accounts of 1,19,875 fishermen families

Vijayawada : Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday disbursed Rs.119.88 crore into the accounts of 1,19,875 fishermen families crediting Rs.10,000 each for the third consecutive year under YSR Matsyakara Bharosa compensating the off-season ban on marine fishing.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that the programme, benefiting about 1,19,875 families, was taken up for the uplift of fishermen who were struggling for livelihood during the lean period from mid-April to mid-June.

The scheme was initiated in 2019 increasing the financial assistance from Rs 4000 to Rs.10,000, and the state government had spent around Rs.332 crore alone on this scheme.

The Chief Minister said that eight new fishing harbours were going be established, where the works of four harbours in phase-1 at Juvvaladinne in Nellore district, Uppada in East Godavari district, Nizampatnam in Guntur district and Machilipatnam in Krishna district are under way with Rs.1510 crore.

Soon four more harbours would be set up in Srikakulam, Visakhapatnam, West Godavari and Prakasam districts with an expenditure of Rs.1365 crore aiming to create employment for 80,000 fishermen, he added.

Mr Reddy said that the state has set up 35 aqua labs to check the quality of aqua products with an expenditure of Rs.50.30 crore along with a AP Fisheries University in West Godavari district to give expert training in aquaculture.

“In order to support aqua farmers to provide better prices for their produce, the State government is setting up 100 Aqua Hubs at a cost of Rs.332.9 crore, where each hub will have 120 retail shops to sell their produce directly.

Currently in phase-1, 25 aqua hubs are being set up across the state and works are in progress”, the Chief Minister informed.

Minister for Fisheries Dr Seediri Appalaraju, MP Mopidevi Venkatarama and Chief Secretary Adityanath Das were among a host of officials who were present.

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