The State government is devising new policies to work in partnership with private companies for the rapid growth of fisheries sector, said Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav on Monday. He said the government aims to achieve comprehensive development in the sector that would improve the livelihood of the fishermen community. Inaugurating the Fisheries Partnership Summit at a hotel here, Srinivas Yadav said the State government was keen on promoting public-private partnership in fisheries sector especially in aquaculture, seed hatcheries, exports, marketing and other areas of activity. He emphasised the need to create awareness among fishermen on aquaculture, hunting, and marketing as well as available infrastructure and latest technology. We need to create necessary infrastructure and make the latest technology including equipment available to fishermen. The marketing system should be strengthened to increase the yield and supply quality fish to consumers, he said. The Minister explained that the State government took up restoration and rejuvenation of about 30,000 tanks under Mission Kakatiya programme so far. More than 2.9 lakh fishermen from about 4,000 fishermen cooperative societies are earning a livelihood from fishing. He said the State government had spent Rs 22 crore and released about 27 crore fish seedlings in about 3,939 reservoirs and tanks in 2016-17. In 2017-18, we released 51 crore fishlings in about 11,067 water bodies at an expenditure of Rs 42 crore, he added. About 40 delegates from the various public sector and private companies from the States of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat participated in the summit. Speaking on the occasion, they said due to focus on breeding fish in reservoirs and tanks, the Telangana State was able to improve its fish yield. They suggested that the State government establish an aqua research centre and also a diagnostic lab to provide training to farmers in aquaculture as well as prevent diseases to fish by supplying necessary medicines. Some companies expressed readiness to provide online information on diseases and also conduct field-level workshops for fishermen. They also suggested providing power subsidy and also set up a single window clearance system for marketing system. Rajya Sabha member Banda Prakash Mudiraj, Principal Secretary for Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Sandeep Kumar Sultania, Fisheries Commissioner C Suvarna and advisor Vijay Gupta participated in the Summit.