The fishermen (machhua) community will get free accident insurance under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojna.
The registration for the scheme has started in the state. It is a free insurance scheme where no premium is charged to beneficiaries aged 18 to 70 years. The coverage includes Rs 5 lakh against accidental death or prolonged-lasting total disability, Rs 2.5 lakh for permanent partial disability and Rs 25,000 for treatment during hospitalization due to a significant accident.
The fisheries department of UP has provided the info on the scheme on its portal. The project will strengthen the welfare measures the UP government has already adopted for `machhua’ (Nishads) in the state. In addition, the federal government announced two new schemes in the 2022-23 budget, Mukhyamantri Matsya Sampada Yojana and Nishadraj Boat Yojana, which were fully funded.
The schemes will cater to the 17 sub-castes of the `machhua’ (fishermen) community in the state who have been hit hard due to the loss of their traditional sources of income and livelihood.
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