The Andhra Pradesh government has introduced a new welfare initiative aimed at supporting fishing communities. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Friday launched the ‘Matsyakara Sevalo’ scheme at Budagatlapalem village in Etcherla mandal of Srikakulam district.
The scheme is designed to provide financial assistance to families dependent on marine fishing, particularly during the annual fishing ban period from April 15 to June 14. Under this initiative, each beneficiary family will receive Rs 20,000 as livelihood support.
As part of the launch event, the Chief Minister personally handed over Rs 20,000 cheques to the eligible beneficiaries. The fishing ban, which extends for approximately 61 days, impacts the livelihoods of thousands of fishermen. Recognizing this, the government has rolled out the scheme to offer financial relief during the non-fishing season.
The previous government had provided Rs 10,000 per family under a similar scheme. The current coalition government has doubled the assistance to Rs 20,000. A total of 1,29,178 fishermen families across the state are expected to benefit from the programme. For its implementation, the state government has allocated Rs 258 crore.