Fishing ban relief of ₹ 27.19 crore credited to 13,597 beneficiaries in Visakhapatnam district

Visakhapatnam District Collector M. Abhishikth Kishore distributes compensation checks to families of fishermen under the ‘Matsyakarula Sevalo’ scheme at the Collectorate in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday. Joint Collector G. Vidyadhari and MLA Velagapudi Ramakrishna Babu and Vamsi Krishna Srinivas Yadav are seen. | Photo credit: V. RAJU

Visakhapatnam District Collector M. Abhishikth Kishore said on Tuesday that the Andhra Pradesh government has credited ₹27.19 crore to the bank accounts of 13,597 beneficiaries in the district under the fishing ban relief scheme.

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu attended the ‘Matsyakarula Sevalo’ program held at Kavali in Nellore district while the District level program was attended virtually by Mr. Abhishikth Kishore, Joint Collector G. Vidhyadhari and legislators Velagapudi Ramakrishna Babu and Vamsi Krishna Yadav from the Collectorate.

During the programme, a mega check of ₹ 27.19 crore was presented to the beneficiaries under the fishing ban compensation scheme.

The Collector told the gathering that the government has released ₹20,000 each to fishing families to help them during the annual fishing ban season.

Mr Kishore said around 1,500 more beneficiaries were added to the scheme this year than last year. He added that the livelihood assistance scheme, which earlier covered only six crew members on mechanized fishing boats, has now been extended to eight to 10 persons per boat.

He said efforts would be made to identify and include all eligible fishermen who were left out of the system.

Joint Director of Fisheries Lakshmana Rao, boat owners and fishermen participated in the programme.

Published – 19 May 2026 18:14 IST