Vijayawada: Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu will release Rs 262 crore in financial assistance to fishermen's families as compensation for the fishing ban period under the Matsyakara Sevalo scheme on Tuesday. About 1,30,796 fisherman families will receive the benefit under the scheme. The CM will visit Thummalapenta village in Kavali mandal of Nellore district to distribute the financial assistance.
Fishing ban period and compensation details
Marine fishing activity is suspended from April 15 to June 14 for 61 days to facilitate breeding and conservation of fish species. To ensure that fishermen's families do not face financial hardship during the ban period, the government is providing Rs 20,000 assistance to each eligible family. The NDA had promised in its election manifesto to increase financial assistance from Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000. Fulfilling the assurance, the government had provided Rs 243 crore assistance to 1,21,433 families during 2024-25. This year, both the number of beneficiaries and the total allocation have increased, with Rs 262 crore being credited directly into the bank accounts of fishermen's families.
Government's commitment to fishermen welfare
“While the previous regime had limited assistance to Rs 10,000 per family, our leader Chandrababu Naidu promised to increase it to Rs 20,000 per family and fulfilled despite financial constraints faced by the state,” said Agriculture and Fisheries Minister K Atchannaidu. He explained that the increase in beneficiary families and continuation of the scheme for a second year reflect the government's commitment towards fishermen's welfare.
Apart from seasonal assistance, the government has also been providing compensation to families of fishermen who died in accidents while fishing. He said that the compensation amounting to Rs 3.15 crore was released for 63 claims during 2024-25, while Rs 5.65 crore was cleared for 113 pending claims in 2025-26. “The government is also promoting seaweed cultivation among coastal communities to improve fishermen's incomes and create alternative livelihood opportunities,” said Atchannaidu.
Official schedule for the event
According to the official schedule, Naidu will leave the camp office at 9.30 am and reach Thummalapenta at 10.30 am. He will participate in a public meeting at 10.45 am, address the gathering and release the financial assistance. Later, he will interact with the fishermen's families in the village and also hold a review meeting with TDP leaders before returning to Amaravati in the evening.
