K. Madhankumar, a fisherman of Kasimedu, is yet to complete biometric registration for receiving the Rs 5,000 that he gets every year as dole for the fishing ban. He has spent nearly three hours, visited the E-seva centre at Royapuram twice, and has to go back again to record his biometrics if the process is to be completed. I am worried that I won’t get the amount if my biometrics don’t match. Since we work with thick ropes and in salt water, most of us don’t have fingerprints or even lines on our palms. We usually submit four forms and the money is deposited into our accounts, he explained. Like Mr. Madhankumar, over 1.5 lakh seafaring fishermen are awaiting the amount disbursed and are worried about the change in the system. Many use the amount to pay school fees or buy uniforms for their children, since they don’t have work during these 61 days. K. Dakshinamurthi, 55, of CG Colony, said he waited in a queue for three hours for his turn. I work as a loader in boats. I have no work now and am sitting home. If I get this money, it would be helpful, he said. Include all Fishermen also said those out of town would be excluded from the scheme if the system was implemented. M.D. Dayalan, Indian Fishermen Association, said many fishers were working in the western coast due to the ban on the eastern coast. Time must be given for those persons. They should be intimated via SMS or WhatsApp. No new applications have been accepted after 2016. Cooperative society presidents continue to collect money since they were demanding that forms be submitted to them as well, he said. An official source in the Fisheries Department explained that after being implemented on a pilot basis in Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Kanniyakumari districts, online registration for major welfare schemes of the Fisheries Department was rolled out for the entire State this year. This year, due to the election code of conduct, registrations began only after the 27th and so far, over 6,000 registrations have been completed. We want to complete as many as possible by June 15, when the ban will be lifted. We will ensure that fishermen are not troubled. Since we have the data with Aadhaar authenticated bank accounts of all beneficiaries, we can disburse the money at any point, explained the official. They have to register individually for all the annual schemes only once, the official explained.
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