Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Rajiv Ranjan Singh on Monday, 25 May said that the fisheries, animal husbandry, and dairy sectors hold transformative potential for accelerating economic development across the Northeast, emphasising that sectoral growth would benefit not just individuals but the entire region. Singh made the remarks while chairing a Regional Review Meeting of the eight Northeastern states in Aizawl, Mizoram.

Key Announcements from the Review Meeting

Highlighting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision for the region, Singh affirmed that the Centre is committed to realising it through targeted investments and scheme implementation. After reviewing project progress across all eight states, the Minister also expressed appreciation for Mizoram's natural and cultural richness.

On fisheries, Singh pointed to flagship schemes including the Blue Revolution, the Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF), and the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PM-MSY) as key drivers of growth. He noted that fish production in the Northeast rose from 3.78 lakh tonnes in 2014 to 7.05 lakh tonnes in 2025 — nearly doubling over 12 years.

Fund Allocations Across Northeastern States

Singh, also known as Lalan Singh, stated that the Centre disbursed a total of ₹2,228 crore to the Northeastern states between 2014 and 2025. The state-wise breakdown is as follows: Assam received the largest share at ₹614.11 crore, followed by Tripura at ₹322.23 crore, Mizoram at ₹246.79 crore, Arunachal Pradesh at ₹246.03 crore, Meghalaya at ₹240.32 crore, Manipur at ₹236.41 crore, Nagaland at ₹209.49 crore, and Sikkim at ₹109.41 crore.

Integrated Aquaparks and Infrastructure Push

Singh expressed delight at attending the inauguration of India's first Integrated Aquapark at Ziro in Arunachal Pradesh, and announced that 11 additional Integrated Aquaparks are planned nationally, with four earmarked for the Northeast. He invited Mizoram to submit a Detailed Project Report (DPR) and complete land acquisition formalities to set up a similar facility.

The Minister also confirmed that the Centre has approved a Fish Marketing Centre for Mizoram at an estimated cost of ₹50 crore. He further highlighted the potential of ornamental, coldwater, and inland fisheries in the region, and said the government plans to establish 8 notified clusters for cluster-based fish farming, upgrade the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) facility in Assam, and digitally onboard all fish farmers. An investment of ₹200–300 crore under Mission Amrit Sarovar in the Northeast was also announced.

Animal Husbandry and Dairy Sector Progress

On animal husbandry, Singh noted that Northeastern states recorded growth of 37 per cent in milk production, 40 per cent in egg production, and 15 per cent in meat production. While acknowledging the progress, he urged states to treat these figures as a baseline and push further toward their full potential.

The Minister stressed the need to strengthen cooperative societies, expand artificial insemination services, improve infrastructure, promote technology adoption, and build human resource capacity. He also announced plans to establish an NDDB Regional Office in Guwahati and said the Centre is actively working to develop vaccines against livestock diseases.

What Officials and State Ministers Said

Union Minister of State George Kurian said the ministry is working to improve livelihoods, empower women, and promote entrepreneurship across the Northeast. He urged states to move toward self-reliance and champion locally produced goods over outside supplies.

Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying Secretary Naresh Pal Gangwar reaffirmed the Centre's commitment to supporting Northeastern self-reliance, stressing that scheme success hinges on active state participation. Department of Fisheries Secretary Abhilaksh Likhi said efforts are underway to develop the Northeastern states into export hubs and encouraged states to communicate their needs directly to the Centre.

State ministers from across the Northeast presented their achievements, future plans, and shared challenges — flagging youth training, cold chain storage, digital infrastructure, and timely fund releases as priority concerns. During the meeting, Singh also launched a baseline village-level survey to expand Multipurpose Dairy Cooperative Societies (MDCS), a film on African Swine Fever, an educational booklet on pig farming practices, and several region-specific schemes.

Post-monsoon, senior officials from the NDDB, NFDB, and the central ministry are expected to tour Northeastern states to assess ground-level needs and potential first-hand.