Centre keen to set up acqua industries says Union Minister Bhupathiraju Srinivasa Varma

Nellore : Union Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Steel Bhupathiraju Srinivasa Varma has said that the Central government is keen on establishing fishery-based industries in Andhra Pradesh to improve the living standards of fishermen. On Saturday, he inaugurated State Food Festival-3, jointly organised by National Fisheries Development Organization and Fisher Men Welfare Association, at Town Hall in the city.

Speaking on the occasion, the Minister said that as part of this initiative, the Central government is proposed to establish Ports, Jettis, fish lands in a big way by spending crores of rupees in coastal belt. Also, the Central government is encouraging fishermen under Pradhan Mantri Matsyakara Yojana by introducing various schemes and providing subsidies in a big way. Stressing the need to create awareness among fishersmen over PMMY, he asked public representatives and officials of concerned departments to take the responsibility to promote Central schemes.

Stating that several fishermen of Nellore district gave representations to him explaining various problems they have been facing since decades after fishermen of Tamil Nadu gained entry into the sea from Kadaluru (AP border area), the Minister assured that he would solve the problem by bringing the issue to the notice of the Central government very soon.

Sarvepalle MLA Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy has appealed the Union Minister to take initiative to bring back the containers that were shifted to Tamil Nadu from Krishnapatnam Port. Following the shifting of containers, the State government has incurred Rs 1,000 crore loss and 10,000 people working in the Port lost their jobs, he added.

Nellore MP Vemireddy Prabhakara Reddy, BJP leaders S Suresh Reddy, V Narayana Reddy, Vamsidhar Reddy, P Surendra Reddy and others were present.