Tripura Signs Tripartite MoU with NDDB; CM Calls for ‘White Revolution’ to Boost Dairy Sector
Agartala, June 23:
In a major initiative aimed at transforming Tripura’s dairy sector, a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on Tuesday between the Animal Resources Development Department (ARDD), the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and the Gomati Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union Limited (GCMPUL) to strengthen cooperative dairy development and advance the goals of White Revolution 2.0 in the state.
The agreement was signed at the New Secretariat in Agartala in the presence of Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha and NDDB Chairman Dr. Meenesh Shah.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Saha said Tripura must actively participate in the country’s dairy-led “White Revolution” and should not lag behind while other states move ahead.
He stressed the need to increase milk production, strengthen dairy infrastructure and improve the income of livestock farmers across the state.
“White Revolution should happen in Tripura as well. If other states can achieve it, there is no reason why Tripura cannot,” the Chief Minister said, calling for collective efforts from government departments, dairy cooperatives and farmers.
The MoU seeks to facilitate the preparation and implementation of a Comprehensive Cooperative Dairy Development Plan (CCDDP) aligned with the national vision of White Revolution 2.0.
The partnership aims to strengthen dairy cooperatives, improve milk production and productivity, modernize dairy infrastructure, promote digitalisation and create sustainable livelihood opportunities for dairy farmers.
Dr. Saha highlighted that Tripura has already made notable progress in livestock development through artificial insemination, scientific breeding practices and cattle induction programmes implemented by the Tripura Livestock Development Agency.
He said milk production in the state has been growing at an annual rate of nearly 6.5 per cent.
According to the Chief Minister, Tripura currently produces around 2.63 lakh metric tonnes of milk annually, translating to approximately 7.2 lakh litres per day.
He noted that per capita milk availability in the state has reached 173 grams per person per day, the highest among the Northeastern states. However, he pointed out that only a small portion of the milk produced enters the organised dairy processing network.
Dr. Saha said that the new dairy plant has the capacity to process around 40,000 litres of milk daily, but the facility is yet to be utilised to its full potential.
He said increased milk procurement would not only optimise existing infrastructure but also support the expansion of value-added dairy products such as paneer, curd, ghee, lassi, ice cream and sweets, generating additional income opportunities for farmers.
During the meeting, NDDB Chairman Dr. Meenesh Shah presented a roadmap for cooperative dairy development in Tripura, focusing on strengthening dairy cooperatives, enhancing milk productivity, improving infrastructure and expanding market access.
Under the agreement, the state government will provide policy and institutional support, GCMPUL will act as the nodal implementing agency, while NDDB will extend technical expertise, capacity building, infrastructure planning and market development support.
The programme was attended by Animal Resources Development Minister Sudhangshu Das, Cooperation Minister Shukla Charan Noatia, ARDD Secretary Deepa D. Nair, Regional Head of NDDB (NES) Dr. Sabyasachi Roy, GCMPUL Chairman Ratan Ghosh and senior officials from the state government, NDDB and the dairy cooperative sector.
