The 20 fishermen from Andhra Pradesh who were released from a prison in Pakistan two days back, met Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy at his camp office here on Wednesday.
They expressed happiness that the Chief Minister took personal interest in getting them liberated and would be grateful to him for his gesture.
Mr. Reddy disbursed a financial assistance of ₹5 lakh each to the 20 fishermen belonging to Srikakulam and Vizianagaram districts.
Pakistan security agencies apprehended total 22 fishermen (15 belonging to Srikakulam, five Vizianagaram and two from East Godavari) in November 2018 for entering their territorial waters.
The fishermen requested the government to sanction a fishing harbour that would provide them livelihood close by and pointed out that up to 15,000 fishermen go as far as Gujarat during the fishing season every year.
Mr. Reddy said efforts were underway for the construction of the long-pending seaport at Bhavanapadu in Srikakulam and jetties to help fishermen in eking out a living there.
The CM instructed the officials concerned to secure the release of eight fishermen from the State who are lodged in a jail in Bangladesh and two from East Godavari who are still in Pakistan’s custody.
Minister for Fisheries Mopidevi Venkataramana and Bapatla MP Nandigam Suresh were also present
