Tamil Nadu government will soon provide distress alert transmitters (DAT) to fisherfolk in the state to help them send alert signals to the Coast Guard, in case of an emergency at sea, State Finance Minister O Panneerselvam said today.
"In order to help fishermen in distress, government is distributing 30,000 DATs to fishermen at a cost of Rs 48 crore," he said, while presenting the budget for the financial year 2016-17.
Besides, the state government had taken steps to provide communication network facilities and Very High Frequency (VHF) equipment to all fishing craft, at an estimated cost of Rs 62.14 crore, with the support of World Bank, he said.
Noting that Tamil Nadu government had been offering financial assistance of Rs 4,000 per family during the lean fishing season, he said, as promised in the AIADMK election manifesto, the assistance being provided will be enhanced to Rs 5,000 per family.
In the revised budget estimate for 2016-17, Rs 223 crore has been allocated to implement financial assistance schemes to members of the fishing community, he added.
