Mismatch of Venues and Policies Raises Concerns in Tripura, ‘ATMA Krishi Mela’ Sees Poor Footfall in Agartala
By Our Correspondent
Agartala, March 7, 2026
Questions are increasingly being raised in Tripura regarding the planning and management of public venues and government initiatives, after the state-level ‘ATMA Krishi Mela 2025–26’ held at Pragya Bhavan reportedly witnessed a modest turnout on Saturday.
The mela was organized by the Tripura Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department with the objective of encouraging farmers and boosting agricultural production across the state. The programme was inaugurated by Ratan Lal Nath. Despite the importance of the event, observers noted that the gathering of farmers and visitors remained limited.
A senior official of the department reportedly acknowledged that the State-level ATMA Krishi Mela 2025–26 could have attracted a much larger turnout if it had been organized in a major agricultural area or at the large fairground in Hapania, which is considered the state’s biggest mela ground. Holding the event there, the official said, would also have created opportunities for farmers to sell agricultural produce and interact more widely with buyers and visitors.
During Saturday’s programme at Pragya Bhavan, several outstanding farmers from different parts of the state were felicitated for their achievements. However, despite being called a “ Atma Krishi Mela,” the event reportedly did not take on the scale and vibrancy typically associated with a traditional agricultural fair.
Speaking at the programme, Agriculture Minister Ratan Lal Nath emphasized the vital role of farmers in society. “Farmers are our annadata (food providers). It is through their hard work and contribution that our society and economy continue to prosper,” he said.
The limited response to the event has once again drawn attention to broader concerns about the use of venues in the state. Large exhibitions and fairs were originally expected to be held at the dedicated fairground in Hapania, developed to host national and international events. However, apart from events like the Book Fair, Industry Fair and Saras Mela, several other fairs are now being organized elsewhere, including indoor venues in the capital.
Meanwhile, Astabal Maidan, which was meant to serve as a playground and sports space for children and youth in the city, has reportedly been used for commercial fairs for years. Sources claim that the Tripura State Sports Council rents out the ground for various events, reportedly charging between Rs.50,000 and Rs.1 lakh per booking. Critics argue that the field has gradually turned into a year-round rented venue rather than a sports facility.
Similar concerns have been raised in administrative practices as well. Government events are sometimes shifted to private hotels instead of state guest houses, while certain services that could be handled by local startups or MSME firms are instead attempted internally by departments using temporary manpower.
For example, the Information Technology Department, Government of Tripura had initiated an effort to update websites of various government departments through temporary staff. However, many observers say the attempt has not been successful, as several departmental websites still fail to update information regularly despite higher expenditure.
A comparable situation has reportedly arisen with call centre services run by some government departments, where attempts to manage operations internally have led to concerns about declining service quality.
Observers say that when work is not carried out at the appropriate place or through the appropriate system, the expected public response often fails to materialize, something that was evident, according to many attendees, at Saturday’s ATMA Krishi Mela in Pragya Bhavan, Agartala.
more news...