1.76 lakh fishing families to get government aid

CHENNAI: The Fisheries Department has announced the modalities for disbursing the enhanced financial assistance to the fishing families in all 13 coastal districts in Tamil Nadu during the lean months. In the current financial year, 1.76 lakh fishing families will get the relief and the government has earmarked  Rs 70.04 crore for this purpose. The Assistant Director of Fisheries (ADF) in each district will prepare a list of the number of fishermen families in each coastal village based on the ration shop registers. The relief amount will be disbursed either by transferring the amount to the bank account of the individuals through ECS or by open cheque system.If the disbursement is through cheque, then a team of officials comprising the village administrative officer (VAO) and ADF concerned will disburse the cheque to the spouse of the fishermen beneficiary through the co-operative sub-registrars of the department/inspectors of fisheries/sub-inspectors of fisheries. In the case of widow/widower, the cheque will be disbursed to the individual.A panel comprising ADF of the district, president of the fishermen village panchayat concerned and the village administrative officer will be constituted to arrive at the actual number of fishermen families who are eligible for the relief.