Take action against those who have discontinued package for fishermen: Ahmed Patel

New Delhi: Member of Rajya Sabah from Gujarat and senior Congress leader Shri Ahmed Patel today speaking at Rajya Sabha demanded action against those who in present government in the Centre who have discontinued a special package for families of fishermen jailed in Pakistan.

‘There are 920 Indian fishing boats that Pakistan has not returned. The Congress-led UPA govt had announced a special package for relief to fishermen under which the government would provide Rs 6.5 lakh subsidy, Rs 5 lakh from PM Relief Fund and Rs 8.75 lakh simple loan from banks so that the fishermen could build new boats. Implementation portion of this package was assigned to Marine Products Exports Development Authority(MPEDA). Similarly for fishermen jailed in Pakistan the UPA government had made arrangement for Rs 2 lakh relief amount and Rs 100 per day allowance. Unfortunately the present NDA government has discontinued the package and put families of such fishermen in great trouble. The government is requested to resume the special package in order to provide relief to affected families’, Ahmed Patel said in Rajya Sabha adding that 210 Indian fishermen are at present in Pakistan custody.

Ahmed Patel further pointed out that Pakistan had returned only 57 boats in 2015 and appealed that the government should do all efforts to get back the boats.

DeshGujarat