Fishermen seek more subsidy on diesel

Vizianagaram: Fishermen community in the district is looking towards the government to increase subsidy on diesel used for fishing boats. The subsidy amount is same when the price of diesel is Rs 15 per litre and now it touched Rs 70 per litre.

The district has 28 kilometers of sea cost and 10,000 fishermen are directly depending on fishing and more than 25,000 people are depending upon this industry. The district has 700 boats including mechanized fiber boats (180) and rest of them are country-made boats. Currently, the government is giving subsidy to 60 mechanized boats and rest of boat owners are seeking the support.

The government has been waiving sales tax and central excise tax on every litre of diesel and as a result, the fishermen are getting Rs 6 per litre as subsidy.

This system was started when the price of diesel was Rs 15 per litre. Unfortunately, the diesel price is raised to Rs 70 now, but the fishermen are getting same Rs 9 subsidy on the fuel. Every fishermen can avail subsidy for 300 litres of diesel per month and the amount would be Rs 1,800 per month.

Later, the government has made some modifications in norms and withdrew Rs 3 per litre subsidy on central excise tax on those fishermen who are purchasing boats worth Rs 3-5 lakh. Now, they are getting the subsidy of Rs 6 per litre only. Generally, each fisherman will consume 1,200-1,500 litres of diesel per month but the government is giving subsidy only for 300 litres that too only Rs 6 per litre.

District Fishermen Federation chairman B Chinappanna stated “It is not fair to pay the same subsidy for the past few decades. The government should raise the subsidy as per current price of diesel in the market. Even the government should sanction subsidy to every registered boat owner instead of paying to a few boats here.” 

After the fishing holiday from April 14, the fishermen are planning to venture into sea for fishing but the problems like diesel subsidy are discouraging them. P Narayana, Tippalavalasa of Pusapatirega, stated, “I am not getting any subsidy on diesel and now I don’t have enough money to repair my boat, which i left here for the past two months during fishing holiday. I am expecting more support from government on the lines of farmers. They are getting seeds, farm equipment on subsidy but we don’t have such facility.”