KOCHI: An amount of Rs 31.16 crore has been sanctioned from the State Disaster Relief Fund and Rs 5 crore from the Chief Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund to support the fishermen who have lost their jobs during the Covid-19-induced lockdown.The information was received from the Chief Minister’s office as a response to the petition filed by former Union Minister K V Thomas. The families of fishermen engaged in fishing activities and inland fishermen will be given an amount of Rs2,000 while registered fishermen will be given Rs1,000.
As many as 1,78,365 fishermen, who are included under the Saving-Cum-Relief scheme, have been sanctioned an amount of Rs3,000. Apart from the Rs 53.41 crore which will be spent for this, around Rs630 crore has also been requested from the Central Government for the same. It has been submitted as an interim scheme which provides a daily wage Rs 500 to 1,79,840 fishermen families and 32,710 fish farmers of the state.
Besides, a scheme amounting to Rs6,157.06 crore has been submitted to the Central Government for offering financial assistance to fishermen, related groups and fish farmers who have lost their jobs during the Covid-19 pandemic.
A package of Rs 924.37 crore will be given to those who have lost their jobs or suffered agricultural losses during the pandemic period. The Chief Minister’s Office also said that an amount of Rs5,232.69 crore, which will also be used for the rehabilitation and employment security of fishermen and allied groups, will also be included within it.