Agartala, April 26: The Tripura government is stepping up efforts to boost fish production and achieve self-sufficiency in meeting the state's growing demand, Fisheries Minister Sudhangshu Das said on Saturday.

Speaking on the sideline of the 5th biennial conference of the Tripura Graduate Fisheries Officers' Association at a private hotel in Agartala, Das outlined the government's strategy to bridge the existing gap between fish demand and production.

Highlighting the current scenario, the Minister stated that while Tripura’s fish demand stands at around 1,17,000 metric tonnes (MT), the state currently produces only 85,000 MT, leaving a significant shortfall.

"To address this gap, we are aggressively pursuing new projects and have submitted several proposals to the Central Government for support," Das said.

He stressed the need to optimize the use of unused and abandoned water bodies across the state for fish farming and called for innovative approaches to aquaculture to ramp up production.

Commending the dedicated efforts of fisheries officers, the Minister urged them to continue working with the spirit of 'Nation First', ensuring that government schemes reach the grassroots efficiently.

The event was also attended by Deputy Mayor of Agartala Municipal Corporation Manika Das Dutta, senior officials, and members of the fisheries association, who discussed new ideas and strategies for advancing the fisheries sector in Tripura.

Meanwhile, speaking to the media on Pahalgam terro attack issue, Das also stressed on unity among the people, particularly Hindus. He also emphasized united fight against terrorism.