Vijayawada: Krishna district Collector DK Balaji along with APSRTC chairman and former MP Konakalla Narayana and other officials distributed cheques worth Rs 26.15 crore to fishermen at the district Collectorate in Machilipatnam on Saturday.

Collector Balaji said that the district administration has identified 13,077 fishermen eligible for the financial assistance during the fishing ban period. He said the State government launched Matsyakara Sevalo scheme to provide Rs 20,000 assistance to the fishermen families. He said the Central government imposes fishing ban every year from April 15 to June 14 during breeding period. The district administration conducted survey in coastal mandals of Machilipatnam, Koduru, Nagayalanka and Kruttivennu and noticed that 13,077 fishermen are eligible for the financial assistance and there are 2,263 boats in these mandals. Rs 26.15 crore was credited into the bank accounts of the fishermen. Referring to ornamental fishing, the Collector said a team has been sent to Tamil Nadu to study fishing and a report will be submitted on it. He said the district administration will take steps to promote ornamental fishing once the report is presented. APSRTC chairman Konakalla Narayana said the State government has increased the aid to the fishermen from Rs 4,000 to Rs 20,000. He said the aid will be useful to the fishermen during the ban period for two months.