AP Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, who is facing criticism from Telangana leaders for trying to divert Godavari waters to Andhra with the construction of the Banakacharla project, is recently facing allegations that he is making behind-the-scenes efforts to shift the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) located in Hyderabad to AP.
As part of this, there are reports that he recently wrote a letter to the central government, which continues to support him. Since Chandrababu’s support for the Modi government at the center is inevitable, BRS leaders are alleging that the center is likely to say the same thing to this proposal.
If this happens, BRS leaders are accusing that the Modi government at the center has committed another fraud on Telangana. The then central government established the NFDB in Hyderabad in 2006. It continues to be the headquarters for the entire country. Later, it established regional centers in Guwahati in Assam and Bhubaneswar in Odisha.
The NFDB plays a key role in the development of the country’s fisheries sector. The presence of such an important NFDB in Hyderabad is contributing to the development of the fisheries sector in the state. Telangana State ranks first in the country in freshwater fish production. The presence of NFDB in such a state will have the potential to further develop the state in the fisheries sector.
Due to the free fish fry distribution scheme undertaken by KCR, the fish production in the state has increased from 2.6 lakh tonnes in 2014 to 4.39 lakh tonnes in 2023. This is generating an income of more than Rs. 6,500 crore for the fishermen every year. In such circumstances, there are opinions that if NFDB moves from here, it will be a loss for the Telangana fisheries sector and fishermen.
Social activist Gavinolla Srinivas from Narayanpet district, former Sarpanch G Subhash, and former MPTC of Ennonipally Gouni Srinu warned that they will not sit idly by if the National Fisheries Development Board is moved to Andhra Pradesh. They criticized AP CM Chandrababu Naidu for writing a letter to the Union Minister requesting that the NFDB, which was set up in Hyderabad with the intention of conducting research to increase fish production in South India, be moved to Amaravati.