Six lakh fishermen would be given insurance coverage while Rs 50,000 would be paid to each fisherman’s family through the HUDCO for constructing their houses, said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in a gathering of mostly sea fishermen (Nolias) of the Pentkota slum at the Talabania grounds on Friday.
On the occasion, Patnaik distributed 27 fibre boats and engines to fishermen beneficiaries and pension to a number of widows and differently-abled persons.
He also said Rs 1,000 crore has been allocated for development of Puri town into a modern city before the coming Nabakalebar ritual of lord Jagannath scheduled in 2015. Supply of power and water and healthcare would be augmented while roads, drains and sewerage would be improved.
Minister for Agriculture Debi Prasad Mishra said the State Government has been compensating scores of fishermen whose livelihoods are affected by the ban on fishing in the sea for the nesting season of the Olive Ridley turtles.
Twenty-three fishermen were given fishing nets, 10 fishermen were provided ice boxes to preserve fish and another 10 were given motorcycles for marketing while scholarships were given to many students of fishermen’s families on the occasion.
Minister for Culture and Tourism Maheswar Mohanty, Health Minister Damodar Rout, Government Deputy Chief Whip in the Assembly Sanjay Dasburma, MlAs Samir Kumar Dash of Nimapara, Rabindra Mallick of Kakatpur and Pradip Maharathy of Pipili also addressed the meeting.