In a significant initiative aimed at accelerating dairy development and improving the livelihoods of milk producers, the Government of Tripura, the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and the Gomati Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the implementation of a Comprehensive Cooperative Dairy Development Plan in the state.
The agreement was signed in the presence of Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, Animal Resources Development Minister Sudhangshu Das, Cooperation Minister Sukla Charan Noatia and NDDB Chairman Dr. Meenesh Shah, among other senior officials and stakeholders from the dairy and cooperative sectors.
The proposed development plan has been designed in alignment with the objectives of White Revolution 2.0 and seeks to strengthen the cooperative dairy ecosystem across Tripura.
Key focus areas include expansion of dairy cooperatives, enhancement of milk productivity, better utilisation of existing dairy infrastructure, digitalisation of operations, market development and promotion of sustainable practices such as biogas generation and scientific manure management.
The initiative is expected to create new opportunities for dairy farmers by improving access to organised milk procurement systems, strengthening value chains and enhancing the overall efficiency of dairy operations. Officials said the programme would help increase farmers’ incomes while supporting the growth of the rural economy through cooperative-led development.
During the event, NDDB Chairman Dr. Meenesh Shah made a detailed presentation on the current status of Tripura’s dairy sector, outlining both its strengths and challenges.
He highlighted the important role that dairy cooperatives can play in promoting inclusive rural development and shared NDDB’s experience in strengthening farmer-owned dairy institutions across the country through scientific interventions, modern infrastructure, breed improvement programmes and robust marketing systems.
Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Manik Saha observed that Tripura possesses considerable untapped potential in the dairy sector despite steady progress in recent years. He stressed the need to bring a larger number of milk producers into the cooperative framework so that they can benefit from organised marketing, technical support and value-added services.
The Chief Minister appreciated NDDB’s technical expertise and long-standing contribution to India’s dairy sector.
Reaffirming the state government’s commitment to cooperative-led growth, he expressed confidence that the partnership between the Government of Tripura, NDDB and the Gomati Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union would help transform the state’s dairy sector and position Tripura among the leading cooperative dairy states in the North-Eastern region.
