Agartala, June 24: Tripura’s Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Ratan Lal Nath announced on Tuesday that the state is well-prepared to handle any drought-like situation. This assurance comes as the state has already recorded over 1,000 mm of rainfall this season, significantly reducing the likelihood of drought.
Nath made this statement following a video conference chaired by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Given the potential for El Niño and an uncertain monsoon this year, the central government has ramped up its preparations for the Kharif season.
Chouhan led a high-level virtual meeting to review the situation across the country, involving state agriculture ministers, senior officials, district collectors, and experts from ICAR, ICAR-CIIDA, and the India Meteorological Department.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Nath highlighted that agriculture ministers and senior officials from various states assessed their readiness for potential weather-related challenges during the current agricultural season.
“Our central agriculture minister is very proactive and alert. While India has achieved self-sufficiency in the production of grains like rice and wheat, as well as fish and various other agricultural products, the impact of El Niño could lead to drought-like conditions in some parts of the country. Keeping this in mind, he has already taken measures and alerted agriculture ministers across all states. This is why today’s review meeting was convened,” Nath stated.
He emphasized that the risk of drought in Tripura is minimal. According to forecasts and assessments from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the southwestern monsoon is expected to be above normal in the northeastern region, including Tripura.
Nath noted, “Our state has already recorded over 1,000 mm of rainfall. Therefore, the likelihood of drought conditions in Tripura is almost nonexistent. However, we are fully prepared to tackle any unexpected situations.”
The minister further mentioned that the agriculture department has been instructed to implement precautionary measures to ensure higher productivity of Kharif crops. This includes timely provision of quality seeds, chemical fertilizers, and agricultural tools like sprayers to farmers across the state.
Nath added, “To enhance agricultural production, Kharif crops such as rice, oilseeds, and pulses should be cultivated in clusters to promote community-level planting and sowing. This approach will help improve productivity and better manage agricultural activities.”
He also stated that irrigation facilities are being prepared to provide life-saving irrigation assistance if needed, and the state government has implemented emergency measures to safeguard agricultural production. Nath concluded, “Our government is fully prepared to handle any difficult situation and ensure that farmers face no hardships during the crop season.”
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