Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy consoles the family members of fishermen who died after a fishing boat capsized off Visakhapatnam recently, at One Town in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday.
| Photo Credit: K.R. Deepak
YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president and former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday (July 14, 2026) demanded compensation of ₹1 crore for the family of each of the six fishermen who died in the recent boat accident off the Visakhapatnam coast, besides new fishing boats, alleging that the State government’s delayed response had cost the men their lives.
Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy visited the families of the dead fishermen and consoled them in the One Town area here. He also met K. Chinna, the lone survivor of the accident, and asked him about the sequence of events.
Addressing the media later, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy alleged that the accident could have been averted had the government responded promptly after receiving information about the incident. He also criticised the government’s handling of the aftermath, alleging that neither Disaster Management Minister V. Anitha nor Fisheries Minister K. Atchannaidu visited the bereaved families in person and instead chose to speak to them through video calls.
Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy alleged that the government had ‘cheaply’ announced ₹10 lakh for each dead fisherman’s family, and reiterated his demand that the amount be raised to ₹1 crore, with new boats to help the families rebuild their livelihoods.
Alleging that the government was trying to cover up its failures, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy criticised the three-member committee constituted to probe the incident, claiming that it had submitted a baseless report.
He assured the families that if the YSRCP returned to power after the next Assembly elections, his government would extend all possible assistance to them within one month of assuming office.
Recalling the initiatives taken during the previous YSRCP regime, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy said his government had always viewed the welfare of fishermen from a humanitarian perspective, considering the high risks associated with venturing into the sea.
Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy said that before 2019, the compensation for fishermen who died in accidents was ₹5 lakh under the previous TDP government. After the YSRCP assumed office in 2019, the ex gratia was raised to ₹10 lakh.
Referring to the November 2023 fire accident at the Visakhapatnam Fishing Harbour, in which 49 fishing boats were gutted, he said the then YSRCP government had provided compensation of about 80% of the value of the damaged boats, amounting to nearly ₹8 crore. In addition, financial assistance of ₹10,000 each was extended to about 400 people who were dependent on fishing for their livelihood.
He also recalled that during his 2018 padayatra, family members of 22 fishermen whose relatives had been detained in Pakistan had approached him for help. After coming to power in 2019, the YSRCP government coordinated with the Centre and secured their release by January 2020. Similarly, nine Andhra Pradesh fishermen detained in Bangladesh in 2019 were also brought back safely during his tenure.
Highlighting works for the fishing community, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy said the previous YSRCP government had taken up the construction of 10 fishing harbours and six fish landing centres across Andhra Pradesh to create employment opportunities and improve the livelihoods of fishermen. He alleged that had the YSRCP returned to power in 2024, these projects would have been completed. The present TDP-led government was moving towards privatising them, he alleged.
Former Minister Gudivada Amarnath, former MLA Vasupalli Ganesh Kumar, MLC Varudu Kalyani and other YSRCP leaders accompanied Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy during the visit.
Published – July 14, 2026 04:02 pm IST
