Govt reviving caste-based employment in Telangana: Minister Srinivas Goud

Mahabubnagar: Excise, Sports and Tourism Minister Srinivas Goud said that Telangana is witnessing the new dawn of revival of traditional cas- based employment and the State government is giving full support for this hereditary livelihood which is drastically improving not only the economic conditions of the people in the villages but also providing handful of work to each and every community.

While taking part in a programme to release free fishlings in Hemasamudram pond of Ibrahimbad village in Hanwada mandal on Thursday, the Excise Minister said that during the erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh, the then government had spent only Rs 2 crore for the welfare of the fishermen community, however, after formation of new State of Telangana, the State government has spent more than Rs 5,000 crore for their welfare. "The State government is giving highest priority to the welfare and development of fishermen community in the State. Unlike in united Andhra Pradesh, the Telangana government spent Rs 5000 crore for their welfare. With the distribution of free fishlings, today the fish production in Telangana has improved drastically and it has led to the improvement of the livelihood of the fishermen community in the State," said the minister.

The Minister added said that nowhere in the country is free fishing distribution happening except in Telangana. Not just fishermen community, the Golla, Kuruva and various other communities are also being provided sheep, cattle and others so that they can revive their traditional cast-based employment and thereby improve their economic conditions by way of earning a comfortable livelihood in their own villages.

The Minister reminded that in united Andhra Pradesh, the traditional cast-based employment in the villages was completely ruined due to the apathy of the then rulers. He said after formation of Telangana, Chief Minister KCR has decided to bring back the past glory of traditional employment and thereby help improve the livelihood of the people living in rural areas and thereby stopping migration of people from villages to cities in search of livelihood.

Highlighting the State government's initiatives to improve the livelihood and welfare of the fishermen community, the Minister said that the government is supporting the fishermen by providing an accident insurance of Rs6 lakh.

The Minister stated that the responsibility of releasing and monitoring the fish distribution in the villages rests with the fishermen alone.

The Minister said that 190.16 lakh fishlings are being released in 1,086 ponds in Mahbubnagar district this year and spent an amount of Rs114.53 lakh for the same.

MPP Balaraju, ZPTC Vijayalakshmi Ramana Reddy, Fisheries department officer Radha Rohini, Fisheries Cooperative district president Satyanarayana, Fisheries department staff and others participated in the programme.