Amaravati, November 21: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday disbursed Rs 162 crore as compensation to fishermen families who lost their livelihood due to ONGC operations in the Godavari delta region. The Chief Minister disbursed the compensation, procured from the oil giant, to 23,458 fishermen families from his camp office virtually.

"Through this video conference we are extending the financial help without any delay for those fishermen who lost their livelihood due to the laying of ONGC pipelines," said Reddy. Visakhapatnam Harbour Fire: 80% of Boat Cost Will Be Given to Fishermen Who Lost Them in Blaze, Says Andhra Pradesh Fisheries Minister Seediri Appalaraju.

Though the CM wanted to disburse these funds at Rayadaruvu village in Tirupati district alongside the programme to mark the laying of foundation stone for a fish landing centre among others, he had to do so virtually as the event was postponed due to heavy rain in that part of the state. Andhra CM Orders Probe into Visakhapatnam Fishing Harbour Fire Incident.

As many as 16,408 fishermen families in Konaseema district and 7,050 in Kakinada district benefited at the rate of Rs 11,500 per month from January to June. Each family received Rs 69,000 compensation for these six months. Doled out for the fourth year, this arrangement with the ONGC, negotiated by the state government, amounted to a total compensation of Rs 480 crore thus far, said Reddy.