Separate Ministry sought for fisheries in AP

Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, Jun 27: World Fisheries Congress International Advisory Council member Angani Swamy Varma stressed the need for having a Ministry at the Centre exclusively for fisheries development and related activities, dispensing with the present system of keeping the subject under three Ministries.

He said all the nine maritime states in India were having separate fisheries Ministries, but at the Centre, the subject was under three Ministries.

While aquaculture, fisheries education, fishing harbours and deep sea fishing were under the Union Ministry of Agriculture, aquaculture processing was under the Ministry of Food Production and exports promotion was with the Commerce Ministry, he pointed out.

Mr Varma said the fisheries development was not getting the desired attention because three ministries were handling the subject.

UNI