Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has transferred Rs 52.50 lakh directly to 1,500 fishermen in Bilaspur district under the Mukhya Mantri Machhuara Samman Nidhi Yojana. Each beneficiary has received an amount of Rs 3,500. The disbursement occurred during the Chief Minister’s visit to the Jhandutta Assembly constituency.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that addressing a public gathering at Dhrarsanni, Chief Minister Sukhu outlined a series of initiatives designed to enhance the welfare of the fishing community. He announced the waiver of a five-fold penalty previously imposed on fishermen societies and an increase in the subsidy for establishing cold storage units, raising it from 70 per cent to 80 per cent.
Furthermore, the Chief Minister announced an allocation of Rs 50 lakh for the provision of life jackets to fishermen across Himachal Pradesh and Rs 10 lakh for the development of landing facilities. Additionally, Rs 10 lakh each was sanctioned for the completion of ten link roads within the Jhandutta constituency. It was also announced that Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA) and Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) classes would be initiated at the Government Degree College in Jhandutta.
Chief Minister Sukhu stated that the royalty on fish caught from reservoirs, which had previously been reduced from 15 per cent to 7.50 per cent for the period of 2025-26, has now been further decreased to a nominal one per cent. He also highlighted that the state government is offering a 70 per cent subsidy on refrigerated vehicles to support the transportation of fish to major markets, including those in Delhi and Chandigarh.
The Chief Minister asserted that his administration has effectively curbed opportunities for corruption, with the resulting savings being channelled towards the welfare of fishermen and supporting higher education for orphaned and other deserving children. He also pointed to several decisions taken by the Congress government that are in the interest of employees and various sections of society, referencing the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme, which was a priority in the government’s first Cabinet meeting.
Technical Education Minister Rajesh Dharmani commented that the government’s policies have been instrumental in facilitating significant decisions for the benefit of the fishing community.
The Chenab Times News Desk