Gujarat govt gender insensitive? Cyclone package for fisherfolk 'ignores' poor women

By Jag Jivan
A memorandum submitted to the Gujarat government by various fisherfolk associations of the Saurashtra region of Gujarat under the leadership of Ahmedabad NGO Centre for Social Justice's senior activist Arvind Khuman, who is based in Amreli, has suggested that the relief package offered to the fishermen affected by the Tauktae cyclone is not only inadequate, it is also gender insensitive.
Of more than one lakh fisherfolk affected in Amreli and Gir Somnath districts, nearly 40 per cent are women, who work along the coast just as the males go out to fish in the sea. All of them belong to poor families, and the cyclone has robbed these women of their livelihood, yet the government package to the tune of Rs 105 crore ignores them, said the memorandum.
In fact, siad the memorandum, which demands a relief of Rs 5,000 per month for women for the next six months, those ignored include the fisherfolk working exclusively on land, involved in drying up the fish catch. Since the landing points of the cyclone at Shialbet island, Piplikantha, Jafrabad, Chanch port, Dhara port, Syed Rajpara, Nawa Bandar, Simar, Mahuva port and Katpar port were badly affected, those working on this job, including women and migrant workers, have been "ignored."
"The lands have been eroded so much that large pits have been created which makes these lands not suitable for drying fish. Hence, a special plan should be prepared so that these lands can be restored and fishermen can do their business", the memorandum, submitted to the fisheries commissioner, Gujarat government, said. The devastating cyclone hit Saurashtra coast in May third week this year.
Also ignored are the unregistered fisherfolk who operate boats on rent; those who have not used their boats for fishing during the last 2-3 years but their boats have been damaged; the fisherfolk that migrated to ports like Jafrabad and Saud Rajpara for employment and built huts along the coast which stand destroyed; and so on.
Other demands in the package include Rs 5,000 compensation instead of Rs 2,000 per month to all affected khalasi fisherfolk for the next six months; subsidised loan of Rs 35-40 lakh instead of assistance to the tune of Rs 2-5 lakh for rebuilding or replacing their destroyed boats; compensation to the tune of Rs 5 lakh for loss of boat equipment instead of Rs 35,000 to 75,000; and Rs 15 lakh to the families of the fisherman who died during the cyclone instead of 6 lakh assistance.
Said the memorandum, the government should know the extent of damage -- each boat has four nets worth Rs 1 lakh each; GPS and other wireless devices worth Rs 50,000; solar panel, battery, inverter, power supply etc. worth Rs 50,000; gas bottles, ration goods, utensils etc. worth Rs 15,000; and 300 to 800 litres of diesel worth Rs 30,000 to 80,000. Also, it added, many boat owners have lost their boat licences and other documents due to the cyclone, hence they are facing difficulty in being compensated.
Signatories to the memorandum include Fishermen Interest Protection Union, Shiyalbet; Sant Shelaiya Mahila Mandal, Shiyalbet; Ramdev Education Trust, Shiyalbet; Shiyalbet Swayam Sevak Sangh; Sagar Khedu Trust, Jafrabad; Jal Kanya Matsya Udyog Seva Sahakari Mandali Rajpara Bandar, Una; Daria Dil Machhimar Hak Rakshak Sangh Syed Rajpara, Una; Resistance Committee, Una; Khodiyar Mandal, Dharabandar; and fisherfolk of the Rajula region.

Comments

Stronger India–Russia partnership highlights a missed energy breakthrough

By N.S. Venkataraman* The recent visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to India was widely publicized across several countries and has attracted significant global attention. The warmth with which Mr. Putin was received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was particularly noted, prompting policy planners worldwide to examine the implications of this cordial relationship for the global economy and political climate. India–Russia relations have stood on a strong foundation for decades and have consistently withstood geopolitical shifts. This is in marked contrast to India’s ties with the United States, which have experienced fluctuations under different U.S. administrations.

From natural farming to fair prices: Young entrepreneurs show a new path

By Bharat Dogra There have been frequent debates on agro-business companies not showing adequate concern for the livelihoods of small farmers. Farmers’ unions have often protested—generally with good reason—that while they do not receive fair returns despite high risks and hard work, corporate interests that merely process the crops produced by farmers earn disproportionately high profits. Hence, there is a growing demand for alternative models of agro-business development that demonstrate genuine commitment to protecting farmer livelihoods.

The Vande Mataram debate and the politics of manufactured controversy

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The recent Vande Mataram debate in Parliament was never meant to foster genuine dialogue. Each political party spoke past the other, addressing its own constituency, ensuring that clips went viral rather than contributing to meaningful deliberation. The objective was clear: to construct a Hindutva narrative ahead of the Bengal elections. Predictably, the Lok Sabha will likely expunge the opposition’s “controversial” remarks while retaining blatant inaccuracies voiced by ministers and ruling-party members. The BJP has mastered the art of inserting distortions into parliamentary records to provide them with a veneer of historical legitimacy.

A comrade in culture and controversy: Yao Wenyuan’s revolutionary legacy

By Harsh Thakor* This year marks two important anniversaries in Chinese revolutionary history—the 20th death anniversary of Yao Wenyuan, and the 50th anniversary of his seminal essay "On the Social Basis of the Lin Biao Anti-Party Clique". These milestones invite reflection on the man whose pen ignited the first sparks of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution and whose sharp ideological interventions left an indelible imprint on the political and cultural landscape of socialist China.

The cost of being Indian: How inequality and market logic redefine rights

By Vikas Gupta We, the people of India, are engaged in a daily tryst—read: struggle—for basic human rights. For the seemingly well-to-do, the wish list includes constant water supply, clean air, safe roads, punctual public transportation, and crime-free neighbourhoods. For those further down the ladder, the struggle is starker: food that fills the stomach, water that doesn’t sicken, medicines that don’t kill, houses that don’t flood, habitats at safe distances from polluted streams or garbage piles, and exploitation-free environments in the public institutions they are compelled to navigate.

Why India must urgently strengthen its policies for an ageing population

By Bharat Dogra A quiet but far-reaching demographic transformation is reshaping much of the world. As life expectancy rises and birth rates fall, societies are witnessing a rapid increase in the proportion of older people. This shift has profound implications for public policy, and the need to strengthen frameworks for healthy and secure ageing has never been more urgent. India is among the countries where these pressures will intensify most sharply in the coming decades.

Thota Sitaramaiah: An internal pillar of an underground organisation

By Harsh Thakor* Thota Sitaramaiah was regarded within his circles as an example of the many individuals whose work in various underground movements remained largely unknown to the wider public. While some leaders become visible through organisational roles or media attention, many others contribute quietly, without public recognition. Sitaramaiah was considered one such figure. He passed away on December 8, 2025, at the age of 65.

Epic war against caste system is constitutional responsibility of elected government

Edited by well-known Gujarat Dalit rights leader Martin Macwan, the book, “Bhed-Bharat: An Account of Injustice and Atrocities on Dalits and Adivasis (2014-18)” (available in English and Gujarati*) is a selection of news articles on Dalits and Adivasis (2014-2018) published by Dalit Shakti Prakashan, Ahmedabad. Preface to the book, in which Macwan seeks to answer key questions on why the book is needed today: *** The thought of compiling a book on atrocities on Dalits and thus present an overall Indian picture had occurred to me a long time ago. Absence of such a comprehensive picture is a major reason for a weak social and political consciousness among Dalits as well as non-Dalits. But gradually the idea took a different form. I found that lay readers don’t understand numbers and don’t like to read well-researched articles. The best way to reach out to them was storytelling. As I started writing in Gujarati and sharing the idea of the book with my friends, it occurred to me that while...

New RTI draft rules inspired by citizen-unfriendly, overtly bureaucratic approach

By Venkatesh Nayak* The Department of Personnel and Training , Government of India has invited comments on a new set of Draft Rules (available in English only) to implement The Right to Information Act, 2005 . The RTI Rules were last amended in 2012 after a long period of consultation with various stakeholders. The Government’s move to put the draft RTI Rules out for people’s comments and suggestions for change is a welcome continuation of the tradition of public consultation. Positive aspects of the Draft RTI Rules While 60-65% of the Draft RTI Rules repeat the content of the 2012 RTI Rules, some new aspects deserve appreciation as they clarify the manner of implementation of key provisions of the RTI Act. These are: Provisions for dealing with non-compliance of the orders and directives of the Central Information Commission (CIC) by public authorities- this was missing in the 2012 RTI Rules. Non-compliance is increasingly becoming a major problem- two of my non-compliance cases are...

Search This Blog