The Tripura government has sent a project proposal worth Rs. 816.05 crore to the North Eastern Council (NEC) to boost fish production in Tripura and meet demand in other NE states, Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha said on Friday.

Addressing a meeting, Dr. Saha said, Tripura currently has a surplus in fish seed production. He sought the NEC’s support to assess demand for fish seed across north-eastern and eastern India.

He also emphasized the need for infrastructure development for fish seed production and distribution, the establishment of modern wholesale and retail markets, improving the value chain for dried fish, and setting up fish feed manufacturing units.

The Chief Minister then emphasized establishment of a Modern Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in the state, highlighting the growing need for disease surveillance in livestock due to Tripura’s proximity to the international border with Bangladesh.

He placed the proposal during the second high-level meeting chaired virtually by Union Minister for DoNER Jyotiraditya Scindia, aimed at achieving self-sufficiency in the production of milk, eggs, fish, and meat in the north-eastern states.

During the meeting, the Chief Minister stressed Tripura’s strategic importance and reiterated the state's commitment to achieving self-sufficiency in animal husbandry and fisheries. He presented data on the per capita demand, availability, and shortfall of milk, eggs, meat, and fish in the state for the fiscal year 2023–24.

Highlighting various state initiatives, Dr. Saha mentioned the introduction of sex-sorted semen for artificial insemination, strengthening of dairy cooperatives, and financial support to women under the Mukhyamantri Pranisampad Vikas Yojana for poultry farming. He also cited support for livestock entrepreneurs under the National Livestock Mission (NLM).

A project worth Rs. 431.71 crore has already been submitted to the North Eastern Council to boost milk, meat, and egg production in Tripura and meet the demands of other northeastern states, Dr. Saha said and emphasized the development of a pig breeding farm and processing unit for high-yield pig breeds with an eye on exports to Southeast Asia.

The Chief Minister noted the increasing demand for animal feed due to a growing livestock population and proposed attracting investment in local animal feed production under the public-private partnership (PPP) model.

Regarding fisheries, he stated that Tripura has made significant progress under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana and the Mukhyamantri Matsya Vikas Yojana. In the past five years, the state allocated nearly Rs. 50 crore from its own budget and spent Rs. 76.4 crore from central funds for fisheries development.

The Union Minister, in his remarks, urged all north-eastern states to evaluate their production capacities, needs, and surpluses in milk, eggs, meat, fish, and poultry. He stressed not only achieving self-sufficiency but also targeting exports of surplus products to neighboring countries.

The meeting was also attended by Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu, Nagaland Deputy Chief Minister T. Zeliang, and senior Tripura officials including Dr. P.K. Chakraborty, Secretary to the Chief Minister; L.T. Darlong, Secretary of Planning; Deepa D. Nair, Secretary of Fisheries and Animal Resource Development; and Neeraj Kumar Chanchal, Director of Animal Resource Development.