Rs 160 crore sanctioned for 60 new rural markets across Tripura: Minister

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, November 5, 2025

The Tripura government has sanctioned Rs 160 crore for the construction of 60 new rural markets across all assembly constituencies to strengthen agricultural infrastructure and boost farmers’ income, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Ratan Lal Nath said on Tuesday.

Laying the foundation stone of the Tulasikhar Primary Rural Market under the Tulasikhar Agri Sub-Division, Nath said self-reliance in agriculture is essential to ensure overall self-reliance for the state. “Nearly 70 per cent of Tripura’s population is directly or indirectly dependent on agriculture. When our farmers become self-sufficient, Tripura becomes self-reliant,” the Minister said.

Nath said agriculture remains the backbone of India’s economy and emphasised that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision is to make India the “grain bank of the world” through modern and sustainable farm management. “Food is the first necessity of every citizen. The foundation of India rests on agriculture, and the nation’s growth is incomplete without the growth of this sector,” he remarked.

The Minister said that the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare has undertaken several projects to improve and expand rural marketing facilities across the state. “Development of agricultural infrastructure is crucial for achieving self-reliance. The government is implementing multiple projects for the construction and upgradation of primary rural and regulated agricultural markets,” he said.

Providing a comparative account of achievements, Nath stated that since 2018, 144 rural market development projects have been completed under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) with financial assistance from NABARD. “From 2018–19 till now, Rs 303.43 crore has been utilised for these projects. In contrast, during the previous government’s seven-year tenure, only Rs 20 crore was spent on market development,” he said.

The Minister further asserted that the state government is committed to enhancing farmers’ income and building a resilient agricultural economy through sustainable, market-linked initiatives. “Our goal is to make Tripura self-reliant in food production and ensure prosperity for every farming family,” Nath said.

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