Let’s make AP aqua hub: Ravindra

Kurumaddali (Krishna district): The state government has been striving hard to make Andhra Pradesh aqua hub, said minister for mines, geology and excise Kollu Ravindra while participating in the inauguration of Sam Aqua processing plant virtually inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Delhi at the remote Kurumaddali village near Pamarru on Thursday. Union minister Bhupatiraju Srinivasa Varma also participated.

Addressing the meeting, minister Ravindra said that the state has a long of coast of 970km which has been providing livelihood to several millions of people. During 2014-19, the state earned billions of rupees selling the marine products in the international market.

A number of aqua hubs were set up during that time with the encouragement of the state and central governments. The state government extended power at the cost of Rs 2 a unit. However, during the Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy rule, the whole system collapsed. He introduced Seed Regulatory Act and imposed additional taxes on the aqua sector. The aqua farmers suffered a lot due to feed and seed problems, Ravindra said.

He assured the fishing community that necessary action would be taken to set right the issues by passing on the subsidies from the Centre for the food processing sector. Efforts are being made to link the food processing to the MSME sector. He congratulated Velagapudi Sambasiva Rao and his son Venakteswara Rao, the proprietors of the Sam Aqua for providing employment to 2,000 employees.

The minister said that so far there is only food processing for prawns and it should be extended to fish also.

Union minister Bhupatiraju Srinivasa Varma, the officials of the district administration and others also participated.