Fishermen thriving in the State: Errabelli

Warangal: Fishermen community across the country is in distress but its other way around in Telangana, Minister for Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Errabelli Dayakar Rao said.

He along with Narsampet MLA Peddi Sudarshan Reddy released 6.32 lakh fish seedlings in the Madannapet tank near Narsampet town on Friday.

By supplying free fish seedlings, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao paved the way for the economic growth of the fishermen community. Telangana government spent Rs 500 crore since the formation of the State for the development and welfare of the fishermen community, he said.

As many as 753 tanks in the district are brimming with water for the better part of the year due to the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP). It gives the fishermen community an opportunity to raise the fish, Errabelli said. He also emphasised the need for giving training to the women of fisherman folk in the marketing. He said that the government had been giving priority to the caste-based occupations.

MLC Banda Prakash said that KCR has vast knowledge on how to give fillip to caste-based occupations. "As of now, there are nearly 5,000 fishermen societies in the State and we need a special drive to increase that numbers," Prakash said.

Peddi Sudarshan Reddy said that Madannapet tank is one of the biggest tanks in the erstwhile Warangal district. It requires at least one crore fish seedlings. He also stressed the need for allocating land for the fish market. District collector B Gopi said that they have plans to release 2 crore seedlings in 753 tanks in the district. He also assured the MLA of finding suitable land for fish markets.