The Group Accident Insurance Scheme (GAIS), a component of the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), supports the welfare of fishers across the country. Since 26 July 2021, the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) has been the nodal implementing agency. During implementation, NFDB observed a notably high number of drowning-related death claims from the districts of Nirmal, Nizamabad, and Kamareddy in Telangana compared to other states. To understand the underlying reasons, NFDB commissioned the Centre for Innovations in Public Systems (CIPS) to conduct an evaluation study. Telangana enrolled 3.37 lakh and 3.07 lakh fishers during the first and second years of GAIS coverage, respectively, reporting a total of 343 claims by 06.12.2022, of which 78 claims (23%) originated from the three identified districts.
The study examined drowning-related death claims and the challenges faced by fishers during fishing activities. GAIS claims were reported from 66 villages in the selected districts. Interactions were held with 41 claimants and family members. A combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, supported by primary and secondary data, was used to understand the circumstances and factors contributing to the drowning incidents.
CIPS team interaction with Fisher’s family at Gandhinagar village, Nirmal district
CIPS team interaction with Fisher’s family at Akkapur village, Kamareddy district