Telangana bags fisheries award
Hyderabad: Telangana bagged the best award in freshwater fish production. Union Minister for Fisheries Parshottam Rupala presented the award to State Animal Husbandry Secretary Anita Rajendran and Fisheries Commissioner Latchiram Bhukya received the award at a programme organised by National Fisheries Development Board in Bhubaneswar on Sunday on the occasion of World Fisheries Day.
After State formation, Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao has taken up a special initiative to implement various programs for development of fisheries sector. Fishlings were being released for free in all water sources across the State. Subsequently, fish production, which was 2.27 lakh tonnes during 2014-15, increased to 3.37 lakh tonnes. The fish production has increased by about 1.50 lakh tonnes during the last seven years.
Water resources have also increased exponentially due to the construction of new projects in the State. Telangana is the only State in the country, which was releasing shrimp for free in water bodies. The State Government launched 150 retail mobile fish outlets with an aim to make fresh fish available to consumers. Telangana also became the first State to geo-tag nearly 30,000 water resources. Animal Husbandry Minister T Srinivas Yadav expressed happiness over the State Government bagging the award.