ONGC pipeline: YS Jagan releases compensation of Rs 161.86 crore to fishermen

AMARAVATI: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has released Rs 161.86 crore towards the fourth tranche of financial assistance to fishermen who lost their livelihood due to the laying of ONGC pipelines in Dr BR Ambedkar Konaseema and Kakinada districts.

YS Jagan on Tuesday released the amount from his camp office in Tadepalli coinciding with World Fisheries Day. Initially, the Chief Minister was supposed to release the amount during his visit to Sullurpet Assembly constituency on Tuesday but due to heavy rains, his scheduled trip was cancelled.

An amount of Rs 69,000 each would be directly credited into the bank accounts of 23,458 affected fishermen as per the Government’s plan to extend a monthly assistance of Rs 11,500 for six months from January to June 2023. The Chief Minister reiterated his commitment to the welfare of the fishermen's families. So far, the Government had paid Rs 485 crore to the families of affected fishermen, he said and added that the Government took steps to pay even the dues kept pending during the TDP rule.

Regretting that the welfare of fishermen was neglected by TDP president and former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu during TDP rule, he said that the Government paid Rs 78 crore outstanding amount kept pending by the GSPC (Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation) since 2012 and later recovered it from the company. Even in the case of ONGC, the Government released the amount first to the fishermen and recovered it from the company later, he said, and thanked the ONGC management for extending support to the fishermen.

On the fire mishap in Visakhapatnam fishing harbour, YS Jagan said that the State Government had taken quick steps to extend financial help to the boat owners who lost their boats in the fire mishap. Orders were also released to the officials to handover the compensation cheques immediately to fishermen's families, he said. All the affected fishermen would receive 80 per cent compensation on the value of boats destroyed, he added.

Fisheries Commissioner Kannababu, who virtually participated in the programme, informed the Chief Minister that Andhra Pradesh had bagged the Best Fisheries State Award and officials concerned went to Gujarat to receive it at a specially arranged function.

Fisheries Minister Dr S Appla Raju and senior officials were among those who attended the programme.