Mission Kakatiya to boost fish production

Mission Kakatiya is mainly aimed at extending irrigation water to the ayacut and providing drinking water to livestock.

Besides, it also can play a role in increasing fish production by increasing water levels in these tanks brought about by renovation.

The government has decided to renovate 905 tanks in the first phase in Khammam district and renovation works commenced about 700 tanks. It is expected that Mission Kakatiya in the first phase would increase storage capacity of these tanks to at least six to seven tmc of water in the district which means that there is enormous scope to raise fish in these ponds.

As per details, there are about 25,000 fishermen in the district, relying on fishing in these tanks and Godavari in the district. Wyra Fishermen Coope-rative Society is a massive one and there are 8,000 members covering 115 tanks, including Wyra reservoir.

Interestingly, government has sanctioned Rs 3.20 crore to fisheries development in the district. These funds will be given to fishermen societies and fishermen can buy boats, nets and other implements with it.

The total fish seed production in the two existing units in the district is estimated to be around 86 lakhs as against the actual requirement of 396 lakhs. There is a deficit in fish seed production to the tune of around 310 lakh. This has cast a shadow on the new initiatives to promote inland fisheries in the state. Against this backdrop, three units of fish breeding centres were sanctioned and the unit of Nelakon-dapalli has already been grounded. These centres would supply fish breed to various ponds in the district.