Union Minister lays foundation stone of integrated aqua park

Agartala, May 18, 2025, By Our Correspondent

 Foundation Stone was laid for an Integrated Aquapark under Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), worth ₹42.4 crores in Kailashahar, Tripura by Union Minister Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying and Panchayati Raj in an event held in Agartala, Tripura today. In addition, the event featured an exhibition and inauguration of the Fish Festival highlighting the rich culture and diverse fishes of the state. The event was also graced by Shri George Kurian, Minister of State, MoFAH&D and Ministry of Minority Affairs along with Shri Sudhangshu Das, Minister of Fisheries, Govt. of Tripura and Shri Tinku Roy, Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs, Govt. of Tripura. In his address, Union Minister, Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh shed light on the vital role,  the  sector plays in boosting India’s economy, noting that the fisheries sector has exhibited growth at 9.08% since 2014-15, highest amongst Agri and Allied sectors, in India. Recognising the vast potential that Tripura has in the fisheries sector, he stressed upon the need to bridge the gap between demand and supply through use of modern technology, integrated farming and innovation. Shri Rajiv Ranjan highlighted that out of 11 Integrated Aqua Parks in the country, 4 are being set up in the Northeast region, including one in Tripura. The Union Minister urged the stakeholders to work diligently towards transforming Tripura into a “fish surplus state” capable of exporting fish, and to strive for a production target of 2 lakh tonnes, significantly exceeding the state's requirement of 1.5 lakh tonnes. He stated that soon Tripura would also be developed into an Organic Fish Cluster like Sikkim. While laying emphasis on the need to complete the Integrated Aquapark in a time bound manner, the Union Minister emphasized upon the importance of imparting institutional training to fish farmers. Encouraging fishers to utilize government  schemes like Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastucture Development Fund (FIDF) and PMMSY, he reiterated the central government’s commitment towards supporting training and capacity building through NFDB. Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh also addressed issues like need to boost scampi production,  develop ornamental fisheries, improve infrastructure, ensure easier market access and promote innovation and sustainability in the sector. On this occasion, the Union Minister distributed certificates and sanction orders to various beneficiaries.