CHENNAI Fishermen have urged the State government to provide diesel subsidy to new boats without insisting upon GST bills for engines and boats.
“Fishermen, who purchase catamarans, have to additionally shell out ₹7,000 and those buying larger fishing boats have to pay ₹20,000 if they pay GST. At a time when fish catch is down, it is unfair to insist upon GST bills,” said Varadan, a community leader.
Diesel prices were high and many owners had not sent their boats on voyages. “In such a situation, denying diesel subsidy is unfair. Even if one boat gets a GST bill, the owner has to wait for some more time since Fisheries Department officials say that verification can be done only if there are a certain number of boats. Ultimately, it is the fishermen, who stand to lose,” said Nanjil Ravi of Akhila India Meenavar Sangam.
Officials that submission of GST bills was a must for subsidy. “Irrespective of GST bills, we register the boat. Sometimes, owners misplace GST bills. We wait for them to get copies. We verify boats as and when they are brought in,” said an official.
Meanwhile, at Thengaipattinam fishermen have complained that of the 750-odd mechanised boats, only 350 got diesel subsidy. Sesadima of Thoothur near Thengaipattinam said they save ₹25,000 per 1,000 litres of diesel, which was a considerable amount. “The officials refuse to give us diesel passbooks citing various reasons. They want to verify boats once in two months which is not possible. In other places verification is done during fishing ban period. Our boats fish off the coast of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala. If we are to bring back boats from Maharashtra, we would have to spend close to ₹1.5 lakh, which is too steep an amount,” he said.
