To make up for the loss of livelihood during the fishing ban season, the Odisha Government has decided to provide an additional compensation of Rs 5,000 to marine fishermen from the current financial year. A new State Plan Scheme namely ‘Livelihood Support to Marine Fishermen During Fishing Ban Periods’ will be made operational by the Department of Fisheries and Animal Resources Development (FARD). Since marine fisherfolks are badly affected by the annual ban imposed in two phases, the State Government decided to provide the financial assistance to the fishermen community as well as fish workers to strengthen the livelihood support. The assistance would be over and above the support provided under the Saving-cum-Relief scheme of Government of India which the State thought was inadequate. Under the scheme, the BPL category fishermen in the age group of 18 and 60 years are entitled to an annual compensation of Rs 3,000 during the fishing ban period of three months. Interestingly, as per the norms of the scheme, the fisherman himself or herself has to contribute Rs 1,500 as his contribution over a period of nine months. The rest Rs 1,500 is shared equally by the State and Central Governments. “Under the new scheme of the State Government, at least 2,000 BPL families – considered vulnerable – will be selected by the Director of Fisheries from the Olive Ridley Turtle conservation area,” Secretary, FARD Bishnupada Sethi said. The affected fishermen will receive Rs 5,000 each per annum. In fact, the Department had proposed for covering 16,000 BPL marine fisherman families under the scheme. Sethi said after assessing the success of the scheme, the Government has assured to take measures to extend it for another four years. More fishermen families may also come under its coverage. While not many coastal States of the country provide this kind of compensation during fishing ban, the move is expected to go a long way in conservation of the endangered Olive Ridley turtles who nest in the coastline. The fishing ban is imposed in two different phases. Beginning November, the ban is meant to safeguard the turtles whereas from April, the deep sea fishing ban is imposed to enable breeding.
2016, The New Indian Express.