Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and Rural Development, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, on Wednesday praised Tripura’s performance in implementing rural development schemes, stating that the state has achieved remarkable progress across multiple flagship programmes.
Addressing a press conference in Agartala, the Minister highlighted that Tripura has completed nearly 3.76 lakh houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), achieving approximately 99 percent of its target — a feat he described as unmatched by other states.
He further noted that significant progress has been made under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) in rural road construction. Additionally, the state has successfully met its target of creating 1.08 lakh “Lakhpati Didis” under self-help group initiatives aimed at empowering women economically. He added that Tripura’s overall performance in various central schemes has been commendable.
The Minister arrived in the state to attend a Public Representatives’ Conference held at Swami Vivekananda Maidan and to inaugurate several rural development initiatives. Speaking about the “Viksit Bharat Gram Yojana (VB GRAM G),” he described it as an important scheme focused on rural welfare and poverty alleviation.
He announced that the number of guaranteed mandays under the scheme has been increased from 100 to 125 days. The allocated budget stands at ?1,51,282 crore, significantly higher than last year’s ?86,000 crore, with contributions from both the Centre and the states.
Referring to concerns about irregularities in earlier implementations of MNREGA in some states, Chouhan said proper utilization of funds can significantly improve rural infrastructure, including water conservation projects, Amrit Sarovars, check dams, roads, schools, and other public assets. He emphasized that works under the scheme would be decided by Gram Sabhas to ensure local participation.
The Minister also revealed that the Agriculture Ministry, along with scientists from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), will send a team to Tripura to assess soil quality, agro-climatic conditions, and water resources. The team will prepare a comprehensive agricultural roadmap aimed at enhancing farm productivity and doubling farmers’ incomes.
Highlighting Tripura’s agricultural potential, he mentioned crops such as pineapple, lemon, and scented lemon, and stressed the importance of integrated farming practices to improve earnings, particularly for small and marginal farmers.
He announced an additional allocation of ?60 crore under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana to complete ongoing projects by March, along with ?4 crore for the National Food Security Mission (Dalhan Mission). The Minister also indicated that a proposal from the state government to connect 108 additional rural villages with roads would soon receive approval.
During his address, Chouhan also criticized the Congress party over the naming and renaming of rural employment schemes in the past, alleging that the party misled people through rebranding initiatives.
He concluded by stating that under the leadership of Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha and with the support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Tripura is witnessing rapid development.
