Centre will sanction organic fisheries cluster for Tripura: Union Minister

Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Rajiv Ranjan Singh, on Sunday announced that the ministry will sanction an Organic Fisheries Cluster for Tripura, which will be the second after Sikkim in the country.

The Union Minister said this after the foundation stone laying ceremony of the Integrated Aqua Park and the inauguration of the Fish Festival at Rabindra Satabarshiki Bhavan, Agartala.

He said that in the last 10 years, Tripura has witnessed massive development under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Not only Tripura, but every state is witnessing the same. He has taken a pledge to make the country a developed Bharat by 2047. In the Northeast, every state is witnessing similar progress and development. He has given directions to all the Union Cabinet ministers to visit the Northeast and work for more development in the region. Today, the foundation stone has been laid for the Integrated Aqua Park. We have given 11 Integrated Aqua Parks in the country and among these, four are in the Northeast. Around 3 crore people are engaged in fish production in the country, which helps in boosting the rural economy,” he said.

The Union Minister said that Tripura has great scope for expanding fish production.
“In our economy, around 4% comes from agriculture and around 9% from the fishery sector. We must work for the growth of the fishery sector for the development of Tripura,” said the Union Minister.

He informed that in 2014, when Narendra Modi became Prime Minister, fishery and animal husbandry were separated from agriculture to form separate departments, and many schemes were introduced.

“We are now second in the world in terms of fish production. Under PM Modi's visionary leadership, India now ranks second globally in fish production—an achievement underscored by the massive surge from 96 lakh tons in 2013-14 to an impressive 184.02 lakh tons in 2023-24. Tripura has witnessed a surge in inland fish production, rising from 3.7 lakh tons in 2013-14 to 6.4 lakh tons today,” he said.

The Minister added that there is organic farming, and many people are engaged in it. The ministry has given an Organic Fisheries Cluster in Soreng District of Sikkim, being the first of its kind in India, for the development of organic fisheries.

“And I want to declare that we will also give the same for Tripura in the coming days, which will work as organic fish production. Tripura has good scope. In Tripura, new innovations can be done for fish farming and through that, the economy will grow,” he said.

He also directed the timely completion of the Integrated Aqua Park so that people can benefit from it.