Andhra Pradesh stood first in production of fish and prawns with 71 per cent of share in aqua production, announced Minister for Fisheries S Appala Raju.
Accompanied by Collector R Muthyala Raju and MLA M Prasad Raju, he visited lands suitable for setting up of Aqua University at a cost of Rs 500 crore at Biyyaputippa of Narsapuram mandal. Speaking on the occasion, the Minister said that the state has achieved the distinction of being on the top of the aqua production in the country because of coordinated efforts of the farmers of aqua industry. Aqua farmers need not worry about permissions and the same would be given in two weeks. The state government has extended a subsidy of Rs 750 crore to aqua farmers towards power supply, he said.
Come 2021, the State government is likely to set the foundation for an aqua university at Narsapuram in West Godavari district. The institute is expected to cater to the needs of the aqua industry in the state, which requires nearly 4,000 postgraduates in fisheries science, 12,400 graduates and 22,000 diploma holders in the stream by 2030, said state fisheries minister Seediri Appalaraju.At present, the state has only one fisheries institute—the College of Fisheries Science at Muthukur in Nellore district. The college annually produces 40 graduates and has produced only 600 graduates so far, the minister added. The government has taken up the aqua university project as top priority, the minister said, as it is not possible to reach the 2030 target of skilled manpower from the existing institute.
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