VASCO
Requesting the fisheries department to offer fuel them at subsidised rates to help fishing activity, trawler owners operating from Kharewaddo fishing jetty have also appealed to the State government to clear pending subsidies.
Goa Fishing Boat Owners Association (GFBOA) member Seby D’Souza said subsidies were pending for the last two years.
"We are unsure when these subsidies will be released. We don't even have enough money to put fuel in our boats. While we talk of subsidy, it is actually reimbursement of VAT on fuel. In other states, fuel is offered after deduction of VAT and if we had to follow the same procedure in Goa, it would have helped the fishing community. Many of our boats are out of operation as we cannot afford to put fuel," said D’Souza.
D’Souza said the consumer society petrol pump at the Jetty sold fuel at higher prices than normal petrol pumps in the city.
"This pump would earlier offer us around Rs 3 less per litre of fuel, but this time we are being offered diesel at around Rs 101 but the price at the normal petrol pump is around Rs 99 and our members made a noise.”
“The fuel tanking company claimed this was decided by higher authorities and our members now have to load diesel from normal pumps," said D’Souza.
Another fishing boat owner, Dixon Pires, said the hike in fuel prices had increased their expenses and they were yet to receive pending subsidies.
“The price of fuel offered for Karnataka fishermen is Rs 76 but in Goa we have to pay around Rs 101. Besides the fuel hike, we have other expenses and yet, our fish rates are still the same. Weather conditions are also not favourable for fishing," said Pires.
Jerry Gurjao, another boat owner, said subsidy given to fishermen in Goa was nothing compared to other states.
"The State government is acting as if it is giving us alms after a gap of two years. Boats from neighbouring states get fuel at Rs 76 per litre and can afford to enter our state and fish illegally, while we don't have capacity to load our boats and fish in our own area. The central and state governments have a lot of schemes and initiatives for fishermen, but they never reach us," said Gurjao.
