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

Modi’s Israel visit strengthened Pakistan’s hand in US–Iran truce: Ex-Indian diplomat

By Jag Jivan M. K. Bhadrakumar , a career diplomat with three decades of service in postings across the former Soviet Union, Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Germany, and Turkey, has warned that the current truce in the US–Iran war is “fragile and ridden with contradictions.” Writing in his blog India Punchline , Bhadrakumar argues that while Pakistan has emerged as a surprising broker of dialogue, the durability of the ceasefire remains uncertain.

Incarceration of Prof Saibaba 'revives' the question: What is crime, who is criminal?

By Kunal Pant* In 2016, a Supreme Court Judge asked the state of Maharashtra, “Do you want to extract a pound of flesh?” The statement was directed against the state for contesting the bail plea of Delhi University Professor GN Saibaba. Saibaba was arrested in 2014, a justification for which was to prevent him from committing what the police called “anti-national activities.”

Why Indo-Pak relations have been on 'knife’s edge' , hostilities may remain for long

By Utkarsh Bajpai* The past few decades have seen strides being made in all aspects of life – from sticks and stones to weaponry. The extreme case of this phenomenon has been nuclear weapons. The menace caused by nuclear weapons in the past is unforgettable. Images of Hiroshima and Nagasaki from 1945 come to mind, after the United States dropped two atomic bombs on the cities.

Manufacturing, services: India's low-skill, middle-skill labour remains underemployed

By Francis Kuriakose* The Indian economy was in a state of deceleration well before Covid-19 made its impact in early 2020. This can be inferred from the declining trends of four important macroeconomic variables that indicate the health of the economy in the last quarter of 2019.

Food security? Gujarat govt puts more than 5 lakh ration cards in the 'silent' category

By Pankti Jog* A new statistical report uploaded by the Gujarat government on the national food security portal shows that ensuring food security for the marginalized community is still not a priority of the state. The statistical report, uploaded on December 24, highlights many weaknesses in implementing the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in state.

The soundtrack of resistance: How 'Sada Sada Ya Nabi' is fueling the Iran war

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* The Persian track “ Sada Sada Ya Nabi ye ” by Hossein Sotoodeh has taken the world by storm. This viral media has cut across linguistic barriers to achieve cult status, reaching over 10 million views. The electrifying music and passionate rendition by the Iranian singer have resonated across the globe, particularly as the high-intensity military conflict involving Iran entered its second month in March 2026.

Lata Mangeshkar, a Dalit from Devdasi family, 'refused to sing a song' about Ambedkar

By Pramod Ranjan* An artist is known and respected for her art. But she is equally, or even more so known and respected for her social concerns. An artist's social concerns or in other words, her worldview, give a direction and purpose to her art. History remembers only such artists whose social concerns are deep, reasoned and of durable importance. Lata Mangeshkar (28 September 1929 – 6 February 2022) was a celebrated playback singer of the Hindi film industry. She was the uncrowned queen of Indian music for over seven decades. Her popularity was unmatched. Her songs were heard and admired not only in India but also in Pakistan, Bangladesh and many other South Asian countries. In this article, we will focus on her social concerns. Lata lived for 92 long years. Music ran in her blood. Her father also belonged to the world of music. Her two sisters, Asha Bhonsle and Usha Mangeshkar, are well-known singers. Lata might have been born in Indore but the blood of a famous Devdasi family...

'Batteries now cheap enough for solar to meet India's 90% demand': Expert quotes Ember study

By A Representative Shankar Sharma, Power & Climate Policy Analyst, has urged India’s top policymakers to reconsider the financial and ecological implications of the country’s energy transition strategy in light of recent global developments. In a letter dated April 10, 2026, addressed to the Union Ministers of Finance, Power, New & Renewable Energy, Environment, Forest & Climate Change, and the Vice Chair of NITI Aayog, with a copy to the Prime Minister, Sharma highlighted concerns over India’s ambitious plans for coal gasification and the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR).

Health Day ads spark row as NAPi targets Britannia campaign, criticizes celebrity endorsement

By A Representative The advocacy group Nutrition Advocacy in Public Interest (NAPi) has raised concerns over what it describes as misleading advertising of ultra-processed food products (UPFs), particularly those high in sugar, fat and salt, calling for stricter regulations and an end to such promotions across media platforms.

Search This Blog