The government has sanctioned an assistance of ₹10.25 lakh for the owners of the fishing boat named Christ that had run aground during cyclone Ockhi last year and remained bogged down on the beach near the Andrews church here.
Heavily indebted, the owners, Benedict and Joshi, had given up efforts to relaunch the vessel, leaving it stranded on the sands. Several agencies had quoted upwards of ₹10 lakh for the job, but the duo could not cough up the amount.
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Following a memorandum submitted to the Fisheries Minister, the government conducted an inquiry and found that the owners did not have the financial resources to free the beached boat.
The Cabinet meeting on Wednesday resolved to sanction ₹10.25 lakh to get the vessel afloat again.