Give Rs 500 crore package to fishermen: T Harish Rao asks BJP

Karimnagar: Finance Minister T Harish Rao on Wednesday challenged BJP leaders to get a Rs 500 crore package tofishermen in Telangana and then seek votes in Huzurabad by-election. The minister attended Mudiraj Athmeeya Sammelan in Veenavanka on Wednesday. Speaking on the occasion, he said that CM KCR gave motorcycles to fishermen but the Central government has increased petrol prices. The BJP leaders should prevail upon the Centre to give 25 liters of petrol for free to fishermen, he demanded adding that the chocolates and peppermints given by the BJP leaders were not needed.

Harish Rao said everyone knows what happened after the formation of separate Telangana. Large extent of the area was irrigated with water from the Kaleshwaram project and tanks were filled with water all the time. Rs 150 crore was spent for giving luggage autos for fishermen, with Rs 65 crore government provided mobile fish outlet vehicles in Hyderabad and district centres. In the coming days, mobile fish outlet vehicles would be given to all mandals, he said.

The minister assured to address the problems of Murdiraj community by taking them to the notice of the CM. From Thursday onwards fishing would be released in all ponds and tanks in the state. Fishermen would be given Rs. 6 lakh insurance policy soon, Harish Rao said. He said there was no use in voting for BJP and asked people to think wisely and vote for TRS. If the TRS candidate Gellu Srinivas Yadav wins, Huzurabad would be developed.

TRS leader Padi Kaushik Reddy commented that BJP leader Eatala Rajender was like a pest and never cared for people. He thanked Minister Harish Rao for sanctioning the road to Jammikunta and 24/7 Hospital at Veenavanka.