Telugu Desam Party general secretary Nara Lokesh on Thursday said that while the traditional fisherfolk community was facing indescribable hardship owing to a lack of governmental support, the State government was trying to take credit for a “failed scheme” like ‘Fish Andhra’.
As part of his ‘Yuvagalam’ walkathon at Madanapalle constituency on Thursday, he took a selfie in front of a closed ‘Fish Andhra’ outlet after interacting with members of fisherfolk community. They sought exclusive fishing rights on waterbodies, including the tanks belonging to the irrigation and panchayat raj departments, to eke out a living. They also demanded that the ‘Matsyakara Bharosa’ scheme, currently made available to the coastal districts, be extended to the fisherfolk of Rayalaseema hinterland as well.
Mr. Lokesh recalled that the erstwhile TDP government had provided diesel subsidy and financial assistance during fishing-ban season. “While we made Rayalaseema a manufacturing hub by roping in several MNCs, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy is claiming credit for bringing fish and prawns under the brand ‘Fish Andhra’ to the region, that too without ensuring proper supply chain. This is the difference,” he said.
Labelling for handloom
Similarly, members of the weaving community from across Madanapalle region, which is famous for sericulture, complained about the cancellation of subsidy schemes after YSR Congress Party came to power. They sought exclusive labelling on handloom clothes to protect their unique identity as well as to ensure a remunerative price, he said.
Mr. Lokesh said the government had stopped procuring clothes from APCO, a move that sealed the fate of poor weavers. Insisting on the need to take handloom out of the ambit of GST, he questioned the YSR Congress MPs on whether they had raised the issue in Parliament.
Published - March 09, 2023 09:29 pm IST
