Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Friday, 10 July reaffirmed the state government's commitment to doubling farmers' income, citing a clutch of welfare measures including paddy procurement at the Minimum Support Price (MSP), subsidised agricultural machinery, and expanded access to institutional credit through Kisan Credit Cards (KCC). Saha was speaking after inaugurating a paddy procurement drive under the MSP scheme at the Kakraban Higher Secondary School ground in Gomati district.

Key Announcements at Gomati

Addressing farmers and officials at the event, Saha said both the Centre and the Tripura state government are working in a coordinated manner to strengthen the farm sector and improve the socio-economic conditions of cultivators. He stressed that agriculture remains one of the key pillars of Tripura's economy and that sustained efforts are being made to make farming more profitable, productive, and sustainable.

Food and Civil Supplies Minister Sushanta Chowdhury, MLA Abhishek Debroy, senior government officials, and a large number of farmers attended the programme.

MSP Procurement: Numbers on the Ground

Since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government assumed power in 2018, Tripura has procured 2,61,269 metric tonnes of paddy under the MSP scheme, resulting in a direct bank transfer of ₹520 crore to farmers' accounts. A total of 1,35,166 farmers have benefited from this initiative.

Saha noted that in earlier years, the absence of a comprehensive financial strategy for farmers had led to declining interest in agriculture. Today, he said, the incentive structure has prompted many cultivators to bring fallow land back under the plough.

Central Schemes Channelled Through the State

The Chief Minister highlighted the cumulative impact of several centrally sponsored programmes in Tripura. Under the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi, a total of ₹969.97 crore has been directly transferred to farmers' bank accounts in the state. Crop-loss compensation worth ₹10.63 crore has been disbursed under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana.

More than 4.57 lakh farmers have been enrolled under the Kisan Credit Card scheme, enabling access to institutional credit at affordable rates. Additionally, over 2.53 lakh farmers have received Soil Health Cards, equipping them to apply fertilisers more efficiently based on their land's nutrient profile.

Mechanisation Push

Saha said the state is also supplying modern agricultural machinery and equipment at subsidised rates to reduce cultivation costs and boost productivity. The push towards mechanised farming, he added, is central to the government's broader goal of making agriculture financially viable for the next generation of cultivators.

Flagship schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi, and PM-KUSUM have been cited by the Chief Minister as cornerstones of this agricultural transformation. With procurement targets and disbursement milestones now publicly stated, the pressure on delivery machinery will intensify in the months ahead.