Disbursement of fuel subsidies to commence next month

The Ministry of Fisheries has said that fuel subsidies to fishermen, included in the budget of 2013, will be disbursed from 1 June.

Speaking at a press conference held at Velaanaage today, Fisheries Minister Ahmed Shafeeu said that 1,250 fishing vessels had registered requesting for the MVR 60 million to be disbursed as fuel subsidies.

“Several vessels have already registered requesting for fuel subsidies. There are several documents they have to submit in this regard. Same as last year, we should be able to start releasing the fuel subsidies in June,” he said.

He said that the MVR 23 million assigned to fish preservation will be used to establish ten ice plants, and that priority will be given to establishing ice plants in regions that do not already have this facility. He said that the project to establish satellite fish finding systems will also be commissioned soon.

Shafeeu said that 3,650 farmers had registered requesting for the MVR 49.5 million assigned as farmers’ subsidies. He said that applications for farmers’ subsidies will be opened for a period of one month from 1 June, after which disbursement will begin as soon as possible.