Thiruvananthapuram: Minister of Fisheries, Saji Cherian, announced at a press conference that retirement benefits will be provided to members of the Fishermen Welfare Fund. The retirement benefit will be provided by combining the contribution paid by the fishermen and allied workers to the Welfare Fund along with an appropriate government share. The benefit will be granted to 67,000 people, including 62,000 members currently receiving a pension from the Fishermen Welfare Fund Board and 5,000 people receiving welfare pension from local self-government institutions.
The government has sanctioned an initial amount of ₹2 crore, accepting the Welfare Fund Board’s request for ₹12.15 crore to return the collected contribution. The Minister stated that the Retirement Benefit Scheme is intended to be implemented by sanctioning the remaining amount in a phased manner. A member who has contributed at least once will receive a minimum benefit of ₹1000.
The process of identifying members eligible for the retirement benefit will be completed by October 30. This is a historic decision by the Fishermen Welfare Fund Board, which will complete 40 years of service on January 26, 2026. The Minister said that by implementing the Retirement Benefit Scheme, the government is fulfilling the long-standing demand of the Fishermen Welfare Fund members, a decision that brings great relief to the fisheries sector.
Medical Aid for Women Peeling Workers
Minister Saji Cherian also announced that the government will devise a scheme to provide medical aid to women peeling workers, a major category of allied workers, to address the specific health issues they encounter as part of their profession. The majority of these workers are concentrated in the districts of Kollam, Alappuzha, and Ernakulam, with 99 percent of them being women. The Minister noted that the specific health issues they face due to their work cannot be fully resolved through existing welfare schemes. The new scheme is being implemented considering the Welfare Fund Board’s demand for a comprehensive project worth ₹1.5 crore to cover their treatment expenses.
In the first phase, a medical camp for peeling workers was organized in Aroor, Alappuzha district, in collaboration with Believers Church Medical College, Thiruvalla. The Minister announced that the next medical camp will be held in Ambalappuzha on October 25.
With input from Keralanews.gov.
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