Agartala, May 10, 2025: Tripura’s Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Ratan Lal Nath, met with Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan today, urging the establishment of a new Central Agricultural University in the state by integrating the existing College of Agriculture and the College of Veterinary Science.

During the meeting, Nath emphasized Tripura’s agrarian backbone and called for strategic support to boost productivity and infrastructure. “Agriculture is the backbone of our economy, with paddy as the primary food grain crop. Increasing productivity and cropping intensity remains a priority,” he said, adding that labour shortages and the manual nature of paddy cultivation were impeding timely agricultural activities.

Nath highlighted the impact of recent natural disasters, noting that the state suffered severe crop losses due to devastating floods between August 19 and 22, 2024. “Most farm machinery distributed in the last five years was damaged. Our farmers need urgent relief,” he said.

The minister also urged the Union Government to revisit provisions under the PM Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY). “Since 2020, ‘inundation’ is excluded from risk coverage under localized calamities. This has left flood-affected farmers without compensation. We seek a revision of this policy for justice,” Nath stated.

To aid the marketing of perishable produce like jackfruit and pineapple, Nath requested the introduction of refrigerated compartments in express trains and an extension of train stoppage time at Dharmanagar station from 2 to 5 minutes. “These logistical upgrades are essential to reduce post-harvest losses and enhance farmer income,” he said.

The proposed Central Agricultural University, Nath added, would fill critical gaps in research, education, and consultancy in Tripura’s agricultural landscape.