Fishermen Sail 100 Boats to Naidu’s Residence to Thank Andhra Pradesh Government for Financial Aid Scheme

Amaravati, May 2026: In a remarkable display of gratitude, fishermen from Andhra Pradesh sailed in nearly 100 boats across the Krishna River to reach Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s Undavalli residence, expressing their appreciation for the state government’s continued financial assistance under the ‘In the Service of Fishermen’ scheme.

The large-scale gathering reflected the strong response to the government’s welfare initiative, which provides financial aid to fishing families during the annual fishing ban period. State Minister for Human Resources Development and Information Technology Nara Lokesh, who received the fishermen, described the gesture as deeply emotional and symbolic of their trust in the government.

Taking to social media platform X, Lokesh said he personally interacted with the fishermen and enquired about their welfare. He noted that they had come together to thank the Chief Minister and the state government for releasing funds for the second consecutive year under the 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,” Lokesh posted.

He further described their gesture as a rare expression of affection, calling the fishermen “sons of the river” whose gratitude was “immeasurable.”

Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu was in Nellore district at the time, where he was participating in the distribution of financial assistance to fishermen families under the same scheme.

Under the initiative, the government provides ₹20,000 to each eligible fishing family during the seasonal ban period, which is enforced annually from April 15 to June 14 to support marine conservation and sustainable fishing practices.

Officials stated that this year alone, financial assistance amounting to ₹262 crore has been directly transferred to 1,30,796 fishermen families across the state. In comparison, last year the government had disbursed ₹243 crore to 1,21,433 families, indicating an increase in both coverage and support.

Addressing fishermen during the programme, Chief Minister Naidu reiterated his government’s commitment to the welfare of coastal communities, stating that fisheries remain a crucial livelihood sector for the state.

He also took a strong stand on protecting Andhra Pradesh’s coastal waters amid reports of alleged trespassing and illegal fishing by mechanised boats from neighbouring Tamil Nadu. Naidu made it clear that the state would not tolerate any encroachment into its maritime territory.

“This coastline belongs to us, and we will safeguard the rights of our fishermen. We will not tolerate anyone from neighbouring states encroaching upon our coastal waters,” the Chief Minister asserted.

Later in the day, Naidu visited the Joint Action Task Force Sea Patrolling Centre in Nellore district to review coastal security arrangements. The task force includes personnel from the Marine Police, Fisheries Department, Forest Department, and local fishermen groups working in coordination to monitor maritime activity.

Officials also showcased advanced surveillance systems, including drone-based monitoring and satellite imagery integration, to strengthen coastal security. These technologies are being used to track illegal fishing activity and issue real-time warnings to intruding vessels.

In a notable development, drones are now capable of broadcasting alerts in multiple languages—including Telugu and Tamil—to warn fishing boats entering Andhra Pradesh waters from neighbouring states.

The Chief Minister directed officials to further enhance the use of satellite imagery and drone surveillance to ensure stricter enforcement of maritime boundaries and prevent illegal fishing activities.

The event underscored both the government’s welfare outreach to fishing communities and its increasing focus on coastal security, combining financial support with technological enforcement measures.