New Delhi: Andhra Pradesh has joined the Group Accident Insurance Scheme (GAIS) for fishermen for the first time during the 2026-27 financial year, extending insurance coverage to 2,84,888 fishers, the Centre informed the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
The Department of Fisheries, under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, said the insurance scheme is being implemented as part of the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), which was launched in 2020-21 with an outlay of ₹20,750 crore to promote the development of the fisheries sector across the country.
Under the scheme, fishers and allied fish workers are provided insurance coverage of ₹5 lakh in the event of death or permanent total disability, ₹2.5 lakh for permanent partial disability, and up to ₹25,000 towards hospitalisation expenses arising from accidents. The insurance premium is shared between the Centre and states in a 60:40 ratio, while different funding patterns apply to Himalayan, Northeastern states and Union Territories.
The government said Andhra Pradesh had not participated in the scheme during the previous five years. However, for the current insurance period (June 1, 2026 to May 31, 2027), the state has enrolled 2,84,888 fishers under the programme.
The Centre added that no insurance claims have been submitted for settlement so far. As per the scheme guidelines, accident intimation must be filed within 120 days, while complete claim documents must be submitted within 180 days of the incident.
The information was provided by Union Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh (Lalan Singh) in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.
