Agartala, April 16, 2025: In a significant move towards strengthening the agri-livestock sector, Chief Minister Prof. Dr. Manik Saha has proposed a comprehensive project worth ₹969 crore to make Tripura self-reliant in the production of milk, eggs, meat, and fish. The announcement was made during a virtual meeting of the High-Level Task Force on Nutritional Security chaired by Union DoNER Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, attended by the Chief Ministers of all North Eastern states.

“Our vision is to make Tripura nutritionally self-sufficient by boosting indigenous production across key protein sources,” said Chief Minister Dr. Saha during the meeting. He emphasized that these food items—milk, eggs, meat, and fish—are critical for meeting the protein, vitamin, and mineral needs of Tripura’s population.

Dr. Saha highlighted that Tripura’s milk production stood at 2.47 lakh metric tonnes in 2023–24, while the state’s demand reached 2.82 lakh metric tonnes, leaving a deficit of 0.35 lakh metric tonnes.

To tackle this gap, the state has ramped up Artificial Insemination (AI) efforts, especially using Sex-Sorted Semen (SSS) to ensure a 90:10 female-to-male calf ratio. Over the past three years, 2.6 lakh SSS doses have been administered, resulting in the birth of around 50,000 female calves. The government has also promoted high-yielding cross-bred cows, calf feed support, and strengthened milk cooperatives under the Gomati Milk Union.

He proposed the establishment of 200-head dairy farms in each district at a cost of ₹80 crore, and sought ₹7 crore for the strengthening of the Gomati Cooperative Milk Producers Union, alongside proposals for bulk milk cooling stations in each subdivision with assistance from the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB).

Tripura leads the Northeast with 87 eggs per capita annually, significantly above the regional average of 25 eggs. This was made possible by the distribution of 3 lakh chicks annually over the last two years under the Chief Minister’s Livestock Development Yojana.

To boost egg production further, Dr. Saha proposed a ₹15 crore project to provide mini hatcheries to farmers and self-help groups in each Gram Panchayat and Village Council, along with a ₹6 crore project to upgrade six existing poultry and duck farms.

For the meat sector, the Chief Minister proposed a ₹17 crore project for a meat production, processing, and packaging centre in Tripura. He also pitched for a ₹30 crore automatic feed mixing plant for livestock, poultry, and fisheries, addressing the feed shortage across the North-East.

“Tripura shares a long international border with Bangladesh, increasing the risk of cross-border disease outbreaks,” Dr. Saha warned. He advocated the establishment of a state-of-the-art disease diagnosis laboratory, coupled with ongoing vaccination, sero-surveillance, and sample testing to safeguard livestock health.

On the fisheries front, the Chief Minister presented a ₹814 crore roadmap to the North Eastern Council to be implemented over the next five years. This includes the creation of 1,000 hectares of new water bodies at a cost of ₹124 crore, expansion of 5,000 hectares of water bodies for fish production at ₹425 crore, integrated fish farming in 5,000 hectares at ₹130 crore, fish farming in 3,000 hectares at ₹120 crore, establishment of a brood bank at ₹5 crore, and the creation of modern wholesale and retail fish fry markets with an expenditure of ₹10 crore.

With these targeted interventions, Dr. Saha reiterated Tripura’s commitment to enhancing rural livelihoods and achieving nutritional self-reliance. “We are committed to turning Tripura into a model state in food self-sufficiency through planned investment and scientific innovation,” he concluded.