Kerala has asked the Centre to urgently release to it the outstanding amount of around ₹63 crore from previous financial years under a welfare scheme meant for fishermen, the State government said on Sunday. The government has also asked the Centre to release over ₹26 crore under the scheme for the financial year 2022-23, said a statement from the office of Kerala Minister of Fisheries, Culture and Youth Affairs.
It said Fisheries Minister Saji Cheriyan has also shot off a letter to Union Fisheries Minister Parshottam Rupala seeking release of the funds immediately. In his letter, Mr. Cheriyan said that under the Savings-Cum-Relief Scheme, the Central government has contributed 50 per cent of the funds since 1992, with the remaining half being borne by the State.
However, an amount of around ₹63 crore is pending release from the Centre as arrears of its contribution under the scheme for the period from 2018-19 to 2021-22, he said. Considering the need of releasing the assistance to the beneficiaries in a time-bound manner during the lean period, the entire amount to be disbursed under the scheme was fully borne by the State in the previous financial years anticipating the Centre’s contribution, the Kerala Minister said in the letter.
In the financial year 2022-23, the beneficiary contribution of around ₹26 crore collected from around 1.84 lakh beneficiaries was distributed among them, during the lean season, along with the State’s contribution under the scheme in two instalments, the letter said. However, the third instalment which was to be disbursed in August 2022 could not be distributed due to non-receipt of the Centre’s contribution under the scheme, it said.
“As a huge amount of Central share of previous years under the scheme is pending, the State Finance Department is unable to advance the Central share during the year. “As the fishermen community is going through some difficult times, I request your personal intervention in the matter for the release of ₹26.3625 crore being the Central share for 2022-23. Early and favourable action is solicited,” Mr. Cheriyan said.
He further said the scheme is the only one in place for supporting fishermen during the lean season. Due to the non-release of the third instalment, the fishermen are reluctant to enrol in the current year’s scheme as a token of protest, Mr. Cheriyan said and urged the Centre to reimburse it the arrears amounting to ₹63 crore as well as the current financial year’s Central contribution.