The Animal Resources Development Department (ARDD) of Tripura has been conferred the ‘Centre for Innovation in Public Service’ Award for pioneering the use of Artificial Insemination (AI) through Sexed Semen Technology, making it the first state in the Northeast to adopt this advanced breeding practice.

Sharing the achievement, ARDD Director Neeraj Kumar Chanchal said, "The department has been honoured with the ‘Centre for Innovation in Public Service’ Award for introducing AI through Sexed Semen Technology. I received the award from Shri Manoj Sinha, Lieutenant Governor of Jammu & Kashmir."

Explaining the significance, Chanchal noted that Tripura’s cattle population is largely non-descript, consisting of unrecognized local breeds with very low milk productivity. This has resulted in overall poor milk output and low Per Capita Availability (PCA) of raw milk in the state.

According to the 2019 Livestock Census, Tripura had 6.16 lakh female cattle, of which only 1.18 lakh were crossbred or exotic. While several breed upgradation programmes using non-sexed semen have improved productivity modestly, milk production in the state still lags behind the national average.

To address this, AI using Sex Sorted (Sexed) Semen Technology was officially launched in Tripura on October 28, 2020

This technology increases the probability of female calf births, which is vital for enhancing milk production.

"The initiative was introduced in selected pockets and later expanded across the state. By producing more upgraded female cattle, we aim to boost milk production and ensure sustainable socio-economic growth in the dairy sector," the Director explained.