Kisan Helpline Centre launched in Agartala to serve farmers of Tripura, Mizoram, Meghalaya
Synopsis
For the first time, a single Kisan Helpline Centre node in Agartala will serve farmers across three Northeastern states — Tripura, Mizoram, and Meghalaya — round the clock, every day of the year. The 2026 rebranding from Kisan Call Centre to KHC also signals a structural shift: grievance redressal is now a formal, tiered part of the mandate, not just advisory calls.
Key Takeaways
The Kisan Helpline Centre (KHC) was inaugurated on 8 June at Nagicherra, West Tripura , serving farmers in Tripura , Mizoram , and Meghalaya .
Farmers can call the toll-free number 1800-180-1551 ; the centre operates 6 am to 10 pm, seven days a week , including public holidays.
The programme was originally launched as the Kisan Call Centre (KCC) in 2004 and renamed KHC in 2026 to reflect an expanded mandate including grievance redressal.
The KHC network spans 22 centres across all states and Union Territories, overseen by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare .
A tiered grievance mechanism escalates unresolved cases from the KHC Supervisor to Section Officer , Grievance Officer , or Under Secretary level.
A dedicated Kisan Helpline Centre (KHC) was inaugurated on Sunday, 8 June at the State Horticulture Research Centre in Nagicherra, West Tripura, to provide agricultural advisory, farmer outreach, and grievance redressal services to farmers across Tripura, Mizoram, and Meghalaya. The launch marks an expansion of the Centre's footprint in the Northeast, bringing expert agricultural guidance to a region where smallholder and horticultural farmers have historically faced limited access to institutional support.
Background and Rebranding
The initiative traces its origins to the Kisan Call Centre (KCC), originally launched by the Union government in 2004 to connect farmers with agricultural experts via a toll-free helpline. In 2026, the programme was renamed the Kisan Helpline Centre (KHC) to reflect an expanded mandate that now encompasses structured grievance redressal and formal farmer outreach programmes, beyond the earlier advisory-only model.
The KHC network currently operates through 22 centres nationwide, covering all states and Union Territories, under the oversight of the Department of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare of the Union government.
What the Agartala Centre Offers
Inaugurating the centre, Tripura Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Minister Ratan Lal Nath said farmers can reach the KHC through the toll-free number 1800-180-1551. The centre operates seven days a week, from 6 am to 10 pm, including Sundays and public holidays, to ensure uninterrupted support.
The centre is backed by a call management and analytics platform. Call Data Records (CDRs) are maintained for every completed call, capturing details such as call identification, duration, status, and timestamps — enabling systematic monitoring of service quality.
Grievance Redressal Mechanism
The KHC follows a tiered grievance resolution process. Complaints are first reviewed by the KHC Supervisor; unresolved cases are escalated to the concerned Section Officer, Grievance Officer, or Under Secretary of the Department of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare. Once resolved, cases are routed back to the KHC for farmer feedback and formal closure, ensuring transparency and accountability at each stage.
Significance for the Northeast
This is the first KHC node dedicated to serving the three states simultaneously, positioning Agartala as a regional agricultural support hub. The Northeast's agrarian economy — marked by diverse crops, difficult terrain, and limited extension services — stands to benefit from round-the-clock expert access. Minister Nath described the centre as 'an effective bridge between farmers, agricultural experts, and the Department of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare.' With the centre now operational, the focus shifts to farmer awareness and actual call uptake across the three states.
Point of View
But the real test is reach, not ribbon-cutting. The three states it covers — Tripura, Mizoram, and Meghalaya — have significant rural populations with low digital and institutional connectivity, and past helpline initiatives in the Northeast have struggled with awareness gaps rather than infrastructure gaps. The rebranding from KCC to KHC, with grievance redressal now formalised, is structurally sound, but a tiered escalation process only works if farmers know the number exists and trust the system enough to call. Uptake data, not inauguration optics, will be the true measure of this centre's value.
NationPress
5 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Kisan Helpline Centre (KHC) launched in Agartala?
The Kisan Helpline Centre is a government-run agricultural advisory and grievance redressal service inaugurated on 8 June at the State Horticulture Research Centre in Nagicherra, West Tripura. It serves farmers in Tripura, Mizoram, and Meghalaya through the toll-free number 1800-180-1551, operating 6 am to 10 pm every day of the week.
How is the KHC different from the earlier Kisan Call Centre?
The Kisan Call Centre (KCC), launched in 2004, primarily offered agricultural advisory services via a toll-free helpline. In 2026, it was renamed the Kisan Helpline Centre (KHC) to reflect a broader mandate that now formally includes farmer outreach programmes and a structured, tiered grievance redressal mechanism.
Which states does the Agartala KHC serve?
The Agartala centre covers Tripura, Mizoram, and Meghalaya. It is one of 22 KHC nodes operating across India, all overseen by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare of the Union government.
How does the grievance redressal process work at the KHC?
Complaints are first reviewed by the KHC Supervisor. If unresolved, they are escalated to the Section Officer, Grievance Officer, or Under Secretary of the Department of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare. Once resolved, cases return to the KHC for farmer feedback and formal closure.
What technology supports the Kisan Helpline Centre?
The centre uses a call management and analytics platform that maintains Call Data Records (CDRs) for every completed call, capturing details such as call identification, duration, status, and timestamps to enable systematic monitoring and evaluation of services.
