Govt. releases ex gratia to kin of 95 deceased fishermen in Andhra Pradesh

The Andhra Pradesh government has released pending ex gratia assistance to the families of 95 deceased fishermen under the Group Accident Insurance Scheme, Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries Kinjarapu Atchannaidu said on Saturday.

In a statement from Amaravati, Mr. Atchannaidu said cases pending since 2018 were reviewed on priority and ₹4.75 crore was sanctioned and released. Of the 95 beneficiaries identified, ex gratia amounts have already been credited to the bank accounts of 90 families. The remaining five cases are pending due to technical issues related to bank account details and are being resolved on priority.

Mr. Atchannaidu said the government considers it its responsibility to extend financial support to families of fishermen who lost their lives. He said the coalition government is committed to ensuring that affected families receive assistance without hardship or delay.

The Minister added that officials were directed to expedite the clearance of long-pending files and streamline procedures to prevent such delays in future. The ex gratia payments form part of the State’s efforts to strengthen social security measures for fishermen under the scheme.