Andhra govt announces Rs 10 lakh ex gratia for families of missing fishermen

Vishakapatnam, Jul 8 (PTI) The Andhra Pradesh government has announced an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh each for the families of the six fishermen who went missing after their fishing boat disappeared off the Visakhapatnam coast. Seven fishermen who ventured into the sea from the Visakhapatnam coast on July 1 have gone missing. One of them was rescued by a passing vessel. "The government stands with the affected families and has approved an immediate ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh each for them," Andhra Pradesh Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Kinjarapu Atchannaidu said in an official release late on Tuesday. The minister directed Visakhapatnam District Collector M Abhishikth Kishore to release the financial assistance based on the recommendation of Fisheries Commissioner Rama Shankar Nayak and in accordance with government norms. Describing the anguish of the affected families as deeply distressing, Atchannaidu said the government understood the pain, anxiety and uncertainty they were going through while awaiting information about their loved ones. He assured them that the government would stand by them in every possible way during the difficult time. The minister said he, along with the people of the state, was praying for the safe return of the missing fishermen, adding that search operations were continuing on a war footing in coordination with the Indian Coast Guard, the Indian Navy, the Coastal Security Police, the Visakhapatnam Port Authority and other agencies. He said Nayak had already met the affected families and consoled them, while the government was continuously monitoring the situation, noting that four days had passed since the fishermen went missing. Atchannaidu appealed to the families not to lose hope. Search operations would continue and that all necessary measures would be taken for the welfare of the affected families, he added. PTI MS KH