Insurance to be compulsory for fishermen from April

Poaching to feature in Indo-Lanka talks

By Maheesha Mudugamuwa

Bilateral issues, including the cross-border fishing and the problems faced by the Northern fishermen due to undeterred poaching by Indian fishermen, would be taken up for discussion at the Joint Commission meeting with the Indian delegation, on January 13 and 14, to ensure sustainable fisheries development, a Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Ministry official said.

The Ministry had launched an insurance scheme for fishermen in January 2011, but they had not evinced a keen interest in the scheme. The insurance scheme will be made compulsory from April 1 this year, the official said.

Over 220,960 fishermen engaged in marine fishing, including 40,000 in the Northern and Eastern provinces and 33,600 engaged in inland fishing would be brought under two schemes and Rs.100,000, of the loans raised by the beneficiary, would also be settled under the scheme, he said.

The insurance scheme covers educational assistance to fishermen’s children up to the age of 18 and payments for hospitalisation for two weeks, he added.

He pointed out that under this life insurance scheme, families of fishermen who died or became disabled by accidents would receive Rs.100,000 under the first scheme and in the second scheme they would receive Rs. 300,000. Fisher families would also receive an allowance of Rs. 5,000 in case of disappearance of fishermen at sea.

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