Andhra Pradesh fishermen sailed to Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu's Undavalli residence in 100 boats along the Krishna River on 19 May, expressing gratitude after the state government released ₹262 crore in financial assistance to 1,30,796 fishermen families for the second consecutive year under its fishing ban relief scheme.

The River Procession

State Minister for Human Resources Development and Information Technology Nara Lokesh, who is also the Chief Minister's son, received the fishermen at the Undavalli residence. Lokesh confirmed the visit on social media platform X, noting that the fishermen arrived to convey their appreciation for the release of funds under the 'In the service of fishermen' scheme.

'I inquired about their well-being. The fishermen expressed their gratitude to the Chief Minister and the people's government. I assured them that the people's government is working day and night for the welfare of fishermen and that I will stand by them through any hardship. The rare gratitude of the sons of the Ganga, their affection, is immeasurable,' Lokesh said.

What the Scheme Provides

The state government disburses ₹20,000 per family during the annual fishing ban, which runs from 15 April to 14 June each year. The scheme was launched last year, when the government deposited ₹243 crore into the accounts of 1,21,433 fishermen. This year's outlay of ₹262 crore covers 1,30,796 families — an increase of over 9,000 beneficiaries year-on-year.

Chief Minister Naidu was in Nellore district on the same day to participate in the physical distribution of the financial assistance, reaffirming the government's commitment to fishermen welfare.

Coastal Waters Dispute with Tamil Nadu

Amid reports of alleged trespassing and illegal fishing by mechanised boats from Tamil Nadu in Andhra Pradesh's territorial waters, Naidu issued a firm warning. 'We will not tolerate anyone from neighbouring states encroaching upon our coastal waters. We will safeguard the rights of our fishermen,' he said.

The Chief Minister subsequently visited the Joint Action Task Force for the Sea Patrolling Centre in Nellore district, which comprises the Marine Police, the Department of Fisheries, the Forest Department, and local fishermen.

Technology Deployed for Sea Patrolling

Naidu directed officials to incorporate satellite imagery into patrolling operations to detect and deter intrusions by fishing boats from other states. Officials demonstrated drone-based patrol technology capable of issuing audio warnings in Telugu, Tamil, and other languages to vessels that enter Andhra Pradesh's maritime boundaries.

With the aid disbursed and coastal surveillance upgraded, the government's next challenge is sustaining both the financial commitment and the enforcement infrastructure as the ban period continues through 14 June.