For holistic development of fisheries sector, the State government formulated a comprehensive Integrated Fisheries Development Scheme (IFDS) with a budget outlay of Rs 1,000 crore for the new fiscal of 2018-19 commencing from Sunday. The objective is to promote fish cultivation in all small, medium and major irrigation projects for empowerment and development of fishermen community. To create awareness about various schemes in the offing and bring a qualitative change in the sector, workshops will be held for the Fisheries Department staff in all district headquarters on April 7. The National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) released Rs 1,000 crore to Telangana State Fishermen Cooperative Societies Federation (TSFCOF) for implementing the IFDS in the State. During a video conference with District Collectors and officials of the Fisheries Department at the State Secretariat on Saturday, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav said about Rs 204 crore were being spent for setting up hatcheries to develop fish seed and another Rs 370 crore for marketing the fish produced in the State. The government was also supplying subsidised nets, crafts and other equipment to fishermen at an expenditure of Rs 82 crore. At an expenditure of Rs 42 crore, we released about 51 crore fishlings in 11,067 water bodies in 2017-18. This improved livelihood for about three lakh fishermen directly from about 4,000 fishermen cooperative societies and around 24 lakh fishermen families indirectly in the State, the Minister said. About 75 crore fishlings would be released into various tanks during the fiscal of 2018-19. The workshops are being held for the officials to educate fishermen on the government initiatives and encourage them to avail the benefits under various schemes. Applications from beneficiaries will be accepted from April 12 to May 3 and selection of beneficiaries will be completed before June 15.