By Subba Rao
Copyright thehindu
The Andhra Pradesh State Assembly has passed a Bill to amend the State Aquaculture Development Authority (APSADA) Act, 2020, aimed at streamlining aquaculture operations, simplifying licencing procedures, and updating the outdated terminology.
Tabling the Bill in the House on Wednesday, Minister for Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fisheries Kinjarapu Atchannaidu said that these measures were designed to simplify regulatory processes, encourage compliance among farmers and operators, and strengthen the governance of the aquaculture sector in Andhra Pradesh.
The proposed changes come in response to feedback gathered from stakeholders, operational challenges under the existing Act, and the need to enhance sustainability and economic efficiency in the sector.
The amendments seek to make the Act more user-friendly, addressing concerns raised during a series of stakeholder consultations. One key proposal is to facilitate the endorsement of old registrations by aquaculture farmers who failed to complete the process within the stipulated period.
These endorsements would be allowed upon payment of the licence fee, along with a 50% late fee, benefiting approximately 20% of the aquaculture farmers.
Another significant change is the revision of the validity of the licence. Currently, licences for aquaculture business operations and related activities are issued for a lifetime.
The proposed amendments would reduce the validity to one year for aquaculture business operations and five years for aquaculture activities, aligning with the provisions of the Central Coastal Aquaculture Authority Act, 2005, and ensuring financial sustainability for APSADA.
