Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development Botcha Satyanarayana on Thursday assured construction of fishing jetties at Kancheru, Konada and Mukkam villages to benefit the fishermen community of Pusapati Rega and Bhogapuram mandals.
Speaking as the chief guest at a programme organised on the occasion of World Fisheries Day at Pusapati Rega in Vizianagaram district, Mr. Satyanarayana said that the government was taking several steps for the welfare of 2.65 lakh fishermen in the district.
The Minister said that the Matsyakara Bharosa scheme, which would ensure ₹10,000 to each family, would be a big gift as the community would be deprived of an income during the annual fishing ban between April and June every year.
A dig at TDP
The Minister alleged that the TDP government never cared about the welfare of fishermen, adding that the YSRCP government allocated ₹500 crore in the annual budget for the welfare of the community.
Diesel subsidy
Vizianagaram Collector M. Hari Jawaharlal said that traditional fishing activity would prevent marine pollution, while Vizianagaram Fisheries Department assistant director M. Diwakara Rao said that the department was giving ₹9 subsidy per litre of diesel to boat owners.
The fishermen leaders sought enhancement of subsidy to 500 litres from 300 litres. Nellimarla MLA Badukonda Appala Naidu urged the government to take steps to prevent release of polluted water by companies into the sea .
