Approval of ₹160 Crore for Construction of 60 Rural Markets in Tripura: Ratan Lal Nath

Self-Reliant Agriculture is the Key to a Self-Reliant Tripura: Agriculture Minister“Food is the first necessity of human life, hence agricultural development is essential,” says the Minister

Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Ratan Lal Nath today stated that achieving self-reliance in agriculture is the foundation for making Tripura a self-reliant state.

Speaking at the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the Tulashikhar Primary Rural Market under the Tulashikhar Agriculture Sub-Division, the minister said that the government has approved ₹160 crore for constructing 60 rural markets across 60 assembly constituencies of the state.

He emphasized that “Food is the first necessity of human life, followed by drinking water, shelter, clothing, education, and electricity — and only after these come other needs. Agriculture is the backbone of India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision is to make India the ‘Granary of the World’ through a modern, creative, and sustainable agricultural system.”

The minister pointed out that India’s overall development remains incomplete without agricultural advancement. Therefore, to make Tripura self-reliant, achieving self-sufficiency in agriculture is absolutely crucial. About 70% of Tripura’s population depends on agriculture either directly or indirectly, he noted, adding that self-reliance in agriculture equates to overall self-reliance for the state.

Ratan Lal Nath further mentioned that the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare is working tirelessly to increase farmers’ income and ensure self-sufficiency in food grain production.

He also stressed the importance of improving agricultural infrastructure to strengthen the state’s economy. In this direction, the government is taking multiple steps to enhance market infrastructure across the state. The Agriculture Department is implementing several projects to develop primary rural markets and regulated agricultural markets based on specific proposals.

The minister informed that since 2018, under NABARD’s RIDF (Rural Infrastructure Development Fund) scheme, a total of 144 market development projects have been implemented across the state.

Between the 2018–19 financial year and now — a span of seven years and six months — a total of ₹303.43 crore has been spent on these 144 market development projects. In comparison, only ₹20 crore was spent on market development during the previous government’s seven-year term.