Tripura on Friday, 24 July launched 50 Mini Mobile Veterinary Units (MMVUs) to deliver doorstep veterinary services to livestock farmers, particularly in remote and geographically inaccessible parts of the state. The initiative, flagged in the State Budget 2024-25, marks a significant expansion of animal healthcare infrastructure in Agartala and beyond.

Launch and Key Announcements

Animal Resources Development (ARD) Minister Sudhanshu Das formally launched the MMVUs at a function held at Pragna Bhavan, Agartala. The vehicles have been allocated to various block-level offices across the state to ensure rapid veterinary response for cattle and other domestic animals in rural areas.

Minister Das noted that Tripura already operates 13 large Mobile Veterinary Units, but the state's difficult terrain has historically left many remote villages beyond their reach. The 50 new MMVUs are designed to bridge that gap by travelling directly to farmers' homes to provide treatment, vaccination, disease diagnosis, and allied services.

Services and Helpline

Livestock farmers can access veterinary services by dialling the toll-free helpline number 1962. According to Minister Das, upon receiving a call, veterinary doctors, departmental personnel, and animal ambulances will reach the beneficiary's residence within 24 hours to deliver necessary treatment and healthcare.

Under preventive healthcare, the department conducts free vaccination programmes throughout the year, including the Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccination drive. Under curative care, mobile veterinary teams provide home-based treatment for seriously ill large animals, supplementing existing veterinary hospitals, dispensaries, and sub-centres.

Broader Departmental Objectives

Minister Das outlined three core objectives for the ARD Department: strengthening livestock and poultry healthcare, increasing production of meat, milk, and eggs to improve self-sufficiency, and generating employment for unemployed youth through animal husbandry and allied activities.

He also highlighted the Mukhyamantri Prani Sampad Vikas Yojana, under which financial assistance is being extended to thousands of families for poultry farming, piggery, and cattle rearing. Special programmes, including a dedicated pig farming project, have been introduced for livestock farmers residing in areas under the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC).

Beneficiaries and Officials Present

During the event, subsidies under the National Livestock Mission – Entrepreneurship Development Programme (NL-MEDP) were distributed to two livestock farmers from South Tripura and Gomati districts. Two additional beneficiaries received livestock insurance assistance in the form of cheques worth ₹60,000 and ₹50,000 respectively.

Acting Sabhadhipati of the West Tripura Zilla Parishad, Bishwajit Shil, described the launch as a landmark initiative that would significantly improve veterinary healthcare delivery across the state. ARD Department Director Neeraj Kumar Chanchal, Additional Director Bimal Krishna Das, and other senior officials were also present.

With the MMVUs now deployed at block level, the focus shifts to execution — ensuring the units reach the most isolated villages consistently and that the 24-hour response commitment holds under field conditions.