Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 15 (PTI) Kerala has asked the Centre to urgently release to it the outstanding amount of around Rs 63 crore from previous financial years under a welfare scheme meant for fishermen, the State government said on Sunday.

Also Read | Delhi Fire: Massive Blaze Erupts at Building in Mundka Area Where 27 People Burnt Alive Last Year (See Pics and Video).

The government has also asked the Centre to release over Rs 26 crore under the scheme for the financial year 2022-23, said a statement from the office of Kerala Minister of Fisheries, Culture and Youth Affairs.

Also Read | Madhya Pradesh: Former Village Sarpanch, Two Others Shot Dead in Bhind by Political Rivals, Hunt On for Accused (Watch Video).

It said Fisheries Minister Saji Cheriyan has also shot off a letter to Union Fisheries Minister Parshottam Rupala seeking release of the funds immediately.

In his letter, Cheriyan said that under the Savings-Cum-Relief Scheme, the Central government has contributed 50 per cent of the funds since 1992, with the remaining half being borne by the State.

However, an amount of around Rs 63 crore is pending release from the Centre as arrears of its contribution under the scheme for the period from 2018-19 to 2021-22, he said.

Considering the need of releasing the assistance to the beneficiaries in a time-bound manner during the lean period, the entire amount to be disbursed under the scheme was fully borne by the State in the previous financial years anticipating the Centre's contribution, the Kerala Minister said in the letter.

In the financial year 2022-23, the beneficiary contribution of around Rs 26 crore collected from around 1.84 lakh beneficiaries was distributed among them, during the lean season, along with the State's contribution under the scheme in two installments, the letter said.

However, the third installment which was to be disbursed in August 2022 could not be distributed due to non-receipt of the Centre's contribution under the scheme, it said.

"As a huge amount of Central share of previous years under the scheme is pending, the State Finance Department is unable to advance the Central share during the year.

"As the fishermen community is going through some difficult times, I request your personal intervention in the matter for the release of Rs 26.3625 crore being the Central share for 2022-23. Early and favourable action is solicited," Cheriyan said.

He further said the scheme is the only one in place for supporting fishermen during the lean season.

Due to the non-release of the third installment, the fishermen are reluctant to enroll in the current year's scheme as a token of protest, Cheriyan said and urged the Centre to reimburse it the arrears amounting to Rs 63 crore as well as the current financial year's Central contribution.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)