The Tripura government emphasized the importance of bringing backward blocks into the mainstream of development to build ‘Ek Tripura, Shrestha Tripura’ (One Tripura, Best Tripura), said State Agriculture and Farmers’ welfare Minister Ratan Lal Nath on Wednesday while detailing about the State government’s work process for the development of twelve backward blocks (Aspirational Block), including Tulashikhar block to the local people at a program held at the Bharat Sardarpara 12th class school ground in Tulashikhar block.
The event, which included a vegetable exhibition and competition, served as a platform for the government to encourage the local population to participate in various government projects. The aim is to foster self-reliance and facilitate their integration into the mainstream of development. As part of the initiative, local farmers were provided with power tillers, pump machines, and several other agricultural implements.
Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Ratan Lal Nath, speaking at the vegetable exhibition camp, underscored the need for the support and cooperation of all political parties for development. He advocated for the improvement of agricultural land to promote self-reliance and stressed the need for continued efforts in this direction.
Minister Nath highlighted the necessity of improving twelve blocks, including Tulashikhar, Damcharra, Dasda, Raishyabari, Mungiakami, Dumboornagar, Rupaichari, Shilachari, Ganganagar, Ompi, and Chawmanu, among others. He asserted that only then would the vision of ‘One Tripura, Best Tripura’ be realized. In these blocks, he emphasized the importance of prioritizing the departments of education, health, agriculture, electricity, livestock, and fisheries.
Providing a snapshot of the agricultural landscape in Tulashikhar, Minister Nath shared that the Agricultural Sub-division has a total of 1,43,281 kani land, of which 68,881 kani is forest land and only 35,788 kani is cultivable land. He revealed that Tulashikhar is home to 5,823 farmers, with 3,200 patta recipients. He urged for concerted efforts to be made on the 35,000 kani of cultivable land to promote self-reliance through the improvement of agricultural land.
The Agriculture Minister shared that the production rate of food grains per hectare in Khowai district had increased from 2,665 kg in 2018 to 2,949 kg over the last five years.