TVK Budget Disappoints Tamil Nadu Fishermen, Key Promises Unfulfilled

Chennai: TVK's first budget has left the state's fishing community largely disappointed, with only one of several election-time assurances finding its way into actual allocations, while the persistent Indo-Sri Lankan fishermen conflict went unaddressed entirely.

The sole promise honoured was a hike in lean-season assistance for traditional fishing families, raised from Rs 6,000 to Rs 7,000, backed by a Rs 135 crore outlay expected to reach 1.93 lakh families. Beyond this, the budget offered little else for the sector.

Instead of the interest-free loans promised for purchasing deep-sea vessels, the budget set aside just Rs 12 crore as an interest subsidy for traditional fishermen buying such boats.

Indo-Lanka issue and diesel subsidy overlooked

For many in the community, the deeper frustration lies in what the budget left out rather than what it included. RMP Rajendra Nattar of the Indian National Fishermen Union told The New Indian Express that the increased lean-period support was welcome, but called the silence on the Indo-Sri Lankan fishermen conflict — the community's most pressing grievance — deeply disappointing.

He noted that nearly 200 fishing boats continue to remain in Sri Lankan custody, an issue the government has yet to take up.

Tamil Nadu Fishermen Federation general secretary A Tajudeen told TNIE that the TVK manifesto had promised to nearly double the monthly diesel subsidy quota, from 1,900 litres to 3,500 litres, and to raise fishing-ban compensation from Rs 8,000 to Rs 20,000. Neither materialised, he said, adding that the community had gone into the budget with real expectations of delivery.

Fishermen argue that an expanded diesel subsidy would have offered real relief to mechanised boat and trawler operators, who are grappling with volatile fuel prices and supply uncertainty.

Also missing was any announcement on the promised 200-km sea erosion protection network planned across vulnerable coastal stretches in Nagapattinam, Cuddalore, Villupuram, Ramanathapuram and Kanniyakumari, as well as housing scheme commitments for fishing families — both flagged by the community as unmet expectations from the budget.