Tripura Chief Minister (Dr.) Manik Saha on Thursday announced that a project proposal worth Rs 431.71 crore has been submitted to the North Eastern Council to help Tripura achieve self-sufficiency in milk, meat, and egg production. The project also aims to cater to the growing demands of the North Eastern region.

Dr. Saha made the announcement during the second high-level meeting of the Ministry of Development of the North Eastern Region (DoNER), chaired by Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.

The meeting was held virtually with participation from key stakeholders and state leaders.

During the meeting, the Chief Minister underscored the urgent need to establish a modern animal disease detection laboratory in Tripura to support animal husbandry and livestock health management.

He sought the Union Minister’s support for initiatives aimed at strengthening self-reliance in the production of milk, eggs, fish, and meat.

Highlighting the vital role of fisheries and animal husbandry in Tripura’s economy and nutrition security, Dr. Saha presented data on the average per capita demand, availability, and shortage of essential animal-based food items in the state for the financial year 2023–24.

He also outlined several state initiatives to boost milk production, including the use of artificial insemination with sex-sorted semen, the strengthening of dairy cooperatives, and support for women animal husbandry farmers and entrepreneurs under the National Livestock Mission (NLM).

Additionally, the Chief Minister proposed the establishment of a pig breeding farm and processing unit to promote high-yield pig breeds for domestic use and export to the North East and Southeast Asia.

In the fisheries sector, he noted that significant efforts are underway to expand and renovate water bodies under both the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) and the Chief Minister Matsya Vikas Yojana.

“In the past five years, around Rs 50 crore has been allocated from the state budget for fisheries development, while Rs 76.4 crore has been spent under the PMMSY. A separate project proposal of Rs 816.5 crore has been sent to the North Eastern Council to achieve fish production self-sufficiency and meet the region's broader demands,” he added.