Agartala, November 08, 2024: In a focused push to combat unemployment and revitalize the state’s fish farming industry, the Tripura government has made it a top priority to provide sustainable livelihood opportunities for the unemployed through fisheries, Minister Sudhangshu Das announced on Friday.

The statement was made during an elaborate state-level review meeting at the Directorate of Fisheries Office in Gorkhabasti, where Das gathered with key officials to address the challenges and future strategies of the fisheries sector.

“Our primary mission is to offer viable income sources to the unemployed population by encouraging fish farming across Tripura,” Das said. “Today’s review is part of an ongoing effort to assess and enhance fish production in the state, which is vital to meeting both economic and nutritional needs,” he added.

The meeting convened Fisheries department officers from across the state highlighted key production goals and addressed current setbacks faced by the fish farming community. Das outlined the severe toll that recent floods have taken on Tripura’s fish farmers, with damages totaling an estimated Rs. 1,350 crore.

“Our fish farmers have faced unprecedented losses due to the devastating floods,” Das explained. “The state government is determined to support them and has already allocated Rs. 10 crore towards recovery. However, we recognize that this is only the beginning, and we’re working on securing further assistance,” he also added.

The need to bridge the state’s annual fish demand also emerged as a central topic of discussion. Tripura requires approximately 1.16 lakh metric tons of fish each year, but current local production stands at around 83,000 metric tons, resulting in a shortfall of 32,000 metric tons. This deficit is typically supplemented through imports from West Bengal, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Bangladesh.

“Despite our best efforts to increase local production, we still rely heavily on imports to meet demand,” Das noted. “However, due to ongoing issues in Bangladesh, supply chains have faced disruptions. This meeting also addressed these challenges and explored solutions to maintain a steady fish supply for the people of Tripura.”

In addition to fish production, the meeting touched on the activities of the Animal Resources Development Department, which shares overlapping responsibilities with the fisheries department in supporting rural livelihoods.