The traditional marine fishermen of Rajnagar and Mahakalpada blocks got special PDS cards on Sunday at separate functions here. They will now be entitled to get subsidized rice at Re 1 per kg.
Notably, the marine fishermen in Mahakalpada and Rajnagar had been driven to the brink of bankruptcy after they lost their livelihood due to a ban on fishing in the sea. Fatigue livelihood had forced the fishermen community to migrate from own villages. As a result, the State Government had decided to extend the social security scheme to bail them out during the ban period. Notably, every year, the ban is imposed on the fishers for seven months in 20 km radius sea territory stretching from Dhamara to Devi river mouth within the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary. In accordance with the Odisha Marine Fisheries Regulatory Act, 1983, the prohibitory orders on sea fishing remain effective from November 1 to May 31.
“The State Government will provide each identified fishermen family with 25 kg of rice under the PDS doles every month,” informed the Assistant Fishery officer (marine), who was present at the card distribution function at Rajnagar.
As many as 200 traditional marine fishermen of Rajnagar block obtained the special PDS card from Rajnagar MlA Alekha Jena. About 2,296 fishermen of 59 villages in 11 panchayats in the block have been enumerated recently to get the special PDS card. The remaining fishermen will get the PDS card within a week, stated Jena.
Mahakalpada MlA Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak also distributed the card to the fishermen of Baulakani, Suniti, Jamboo and Gogua gram panchayats by organizing a function at Jamboo cyclone center on Sunday.