Vadhvan Port: Palghar To Present Draft ₹100-Crore Fishermen Welfare Package On September 8

Palghar, Maharashtra: The Palghar district administration will hold a stakeholders' meeting on September 8 to present a draft compensation and welfare package for fishermen affected by the Vadhvan Port project, officials stated today.

Feedback Before Final Approval

The meeting, will be held in the presence of representatives from Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA), to bring together local residents, representatives of the fishing community and other stakeholders to discuss the proposed package, raise grievances and offer suggestions before it goes forward for final approval.

Officials said the administration has held several rounds of talks with fishermen over the past months, alongside preliminary discussions led by the Fisheries Department. A field survey commissioned by JNPA to gauge how dependent local families are on fishing for their livelihood could not be completed earlier a few days back due to limited participation from sections of the fishing community. The administration said it has since stepped up outreach to build confidence in the process. JNPA has now submitted a draft package to the district administration based on the survey data collected so far and subsequent consultations.

Compensation Based On Government Resolution

The proposed compensation is based on a State Government Resolution dated March 9, 2023, which set payout rates for fishermen across four categories, C1 through C4. Those rates have now been revised using the Consumer Price Index through 2025.

Under the draft package, fishermen operating within the port limits would receive ₹14.15 lakh for one-day Dol Net fishing and ₹15.72 lakh for multi-day Gill Net fishing. For those operating outside the port limits, the proposed figures are ₹7.08 lakh and ₹7.86 lakh, respectively.

Support For Traditional Fishermen

Those who manually collect fish, shellfish and other marine organisms would be eligible for ₹4.90 lakh, while fishermen dependent on subsistence fishing would receive ₹2.45 lakh. A 2x multiplier has been proposed for the more vulnerable C3 and C4 categories.

Beyond direct payouts, the package proposes doubling the fishermen's welfare fund to ₹100 crore, up from the ₹50 crore set out in the 2023 resolution. The fund is intended to support livelihood enhancement, skill development, fisheries infrastructure and community development.

₹250-Crore Fishing Harbour Proposed

There is a proposal to build a fishing harbour at an estimated cost of ₹250 crore in partnership with the state government. The harbour intends at providing safer berthing, fish-landing and marketing facilities. A separate ₹100-crore proposal would upgrade five existing government Industrial Training Institutes in the district into ‘Centres of Excellence’ offering specialised training in modern fishing techniques, fisheries technology and maritime safety.

Palghar Collector Dr. Indu Rani Jakhar said the port's development could not come at the cost of the fishing community's livelihood.

"The development of Vadhvan Port should go hand in hand with the welfare of the local fishing community and the long-term security of their livelihoods," Dr. Jakhar said. "The administration will continue its efforts to establish a fair, transparent and evidence-based rehabilitation and compensation framework with the interests of the fishing community at its centre."

The September 8 meeting is expected to be the next major step before the package is finalised and sent for approval.

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