Insurance cover to 11 lakh fishermen

The State Government on Thursday announced that 11 lakh fishermen would be covered under the group accident insurance in the current financial year.

The Centrally-sponsored national scheme for the welfare of fishermen is in operation since 2002. Under the scheme, identified and registered fishermen are insured for ` 50,000 against death or permanent total disability and Rs 25,000 for partial permanent disability.

The insurance cover will be for 12 months and a policy would be taken out by National Federation of Fishermen’s Cooperatives Ltd. (FISHCOPFED) in all the participating States. The annual premium payable would not exceed ` 15 per head, 50 per cent of which will be subsidised as grant-in-aid by the Centre and the remaining 50 per cent by the State Government. No contribution will be collected from the fishermen. The scheme covers fishermen in both marine and inland sectors.

SUBSIDISED RICE

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik who reviewed the programmes of the Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Department at a high-level meeting here directed that the Rs 2-a-kg rice scheme for marine fishermen community will continue during the mass nesting of Olive Ridley sea turtles.

Since the Government has banned fishing along the coast during the mass nesting season covering nearly seven months from November to May, the marine fishermen families will be entitled to 25 kg specially subsidised rice a month. This will benefit about 11,000 families.