The Integrated Fisheries Development Scheme introduced by the Telangana government four years ago for advancement of pisciculture in the State is yielding good results, with growth in production as well as value of the produce.
Production of fish and prawn has gone up over the four years starting from 2018, as per the data presented by the Minister for Animal Husbandry, Fisheries and Cinematography to the Legislative Assembly in the recently concluded Budget session.
Answering a query during the Question Hour, Mr.Srinivas Yadav said the government is promoting pisciculture in a big way, providing seed.
Compared to the year 2017-18, fish production in 2020-21 has gone up by 28.5 per cent, while the increase in the production of prawns is almost 50 per cent during the period.
In absolute terms, fish production, which stood at a little over 2.62 lakh metric tonnes in 2017-18, has grown to more than 3.37 lakh metric tonnes by 2020-21. Production of prawns, which stood at 7,783 metric tonnes in 2017-18, went up to 11,734 metric tonnes in 2020-21. Value of production shows even steeper growth-- 143 per cent for fish, and 123 per cent for prawns.
Yield for the current year is not yet available, but considering the increased number of water bodies where the scheme is applied, the production is hoped to increase sharply. The number of water bodies where fish is grown has increased from 11,067 before the start of the scheme to 23,263 in the current year, while for prawns, it has grown from mere 11 to 275.
With a budget of ₹1000 crore, the scheme provided subsidies to fishermen for high quality nets, two wheelers and luggage autos, and mobile vending units. Subsidies were also provided for setting up for kiosks to sell fish and fish products, on hatcheries for raising fingerlings, for fish feed manufacturing units, and for processing and ice manufacturing plants.
Under the scheme, three wholesale cum retail markets were sanctioned respectively at Siddipet, Dharmapuri of Jagtial district, and Nirmal. The first two are completed while the third is in progress, Mr.Srinivas Yadav furnished in his reply. Retail markets are in progress in Gambhiraopet of Rajanna Sircilla district, and Banswada and Machareddy mandals of Kamareddy district. A total 58,229 vending units with moped, 2,973 units with luggage auto, 844 mobile fish outlets, 111 hygienic transport vehicles, and 17 insulated trucks have been sanctioned to members of fishermen societies. National Fisheries Development Board has also contributed by sanctioning four wholesale-cum-retail markets within GHMC limits, each at Begum Bazar, Kukatpally, Mallapur and Chilkalguda. While the first three have been completed, the market at Chilkalguda could not be started due to land issue, he said.
