Over 400 fishermen from Gujarat are in Pak jails: govt

The Gujarat Government informed the Legislative Assembly Thursday that more than 400 fishermen from the state are lodged in jails in Pakistan at present.

Fishermen from the state are often apprehended by the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency for allegedly crossing into that country's waters.

To a question by Congress MLA Chirag Kalaria, fisheries minister Purshottam Solanki said in a written reply that as of December 31, 2018, 433 fishermen from Gujarat were in Pakistani jails.

He also informed that the neighbouring country released 687 fishermen in the last two years -- 510 in 2017 and 177 in 2018.

To a question by Congress MLA Babu Vaja, Solanki said the state government gives Rs 150 per day to the families of fishermen captured by Pakistan, towards daily expenses in the absence of the family's breadwinner.

A total of Rs 1.88 crore were paid to 344 families in 2017 and Rs 1.71 crore were paid to 307 families last year, the minister said.