National Federation of Fishers Cooperatives (FISHCOPFED) Chairman T Prasad Rao Dora on Friday distributed insurance claims of Rs 24 lakh to the next of kin of 12 fishermen who lost their lives in various accidents.
Each of the 12 beneficiaries from Cuttack, Keonjhar, Baleswar, Mayurbhanj, Dhenkanal, Puri, Kendrapada districts and Chilika Zone received a Rs 2 lakh cheque from Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment, Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Minister Pradeep Maharathy at a function held here.
lauding FISHCOPFED’s initiatives to help distressed fishers’ families, the Minister assured that the State Government would extend wholehearted support to the apex institution of Indian Fisheries Cooperative Movement. He urged the gathering to help fishermen in the State live a dignified life.
As many as 410 fishermen families have benefitted from this scheme since last eight years, said the chairman adding that FISHCOPFED was mulling over enhancing the insurance amount from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh besides providing special benefits to the fishermen in the form of scholarships for their children, insurance for their cottages and ponds.
FISHCOPFED also plans to upgrade the training centre at Kaushalyagang to National Cooperative Management Institute, said Dora further.