What happened (Tamil Nadu fishermen fuel subsidies announced in Parliament)
The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, in response to a question in the Lok Sabha, stated that the subsidy/concession on fuel for fishermen is provided by the respective State Governments and Union Territories by using their powers to frame taxation and welfare policies for fisheries.
Tamil Nadu’s fisheries fuel support has two parts: sales-tax-exempted diesel for fishing boats and subsidised industrial kerosene for specific motorized country crafts in selected districts. The Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Minister named in the Lok Sabha reply was Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh.
Under the Tamil Nadu support measures, the quantities stated by the State Government are: Sales-tax-exempted diesel: 19,000 litres per year per craft for 4,500 mechanised fishing boats.Sales-tax-exempted diesel: 4,400 litres per year per craft for 13,500 motorized country crafts.Subsidised industrial kerosene: 3,700 litres per year per craft for about 7,500 motorized country crafts operating in Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli and Kanniyakumari districts.
The stated policy purpose is reduction of operational costs for fishing boats (both mechanised fishing boats and motorized country crafts).