Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Rajiv Ranjan Singh, who is currently on an official visit to Mizoram, chaired a regional review meeting of the eight Northeastern states in Aizawl to review the progress of the Northeastern states and the implementation of various Central schemes in the region. The meeting was attended by Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying (FAH&D) George Kurian, the Ministers in charge of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying from the Northeastern states, Joint Secretary of FAH&D Sagar Mehra, Chairman of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) Meenesh Shah, members from National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) along with officials from the Central and State Governments. Expressing gratitude to the Government of Mizoram for their hospitality and organizing the event, Rajiv Ranjan Singh stated that the Central Government aims to showcase the beauty and diversity of the Northeastern states and that he was delighted to witness the hidden beauty of Mizoram.
Highlighting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for the development of the Northeast, the Minister said that the Central Government is committed to doing everything possible to realize that vision. He emphasized that development in fisheries, animal husbandry and dairy sectors could significantly contribute to the economic development of the Northeast and added that these sectors would bring progress not only for individuals but for the entire region.
Speaking specifically on fisheries, the Minister highlighted various initiatives launched under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, including the Blue Revolution, the Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF), and Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PM-MSY). The Minister stated that owing to these initiatives, fish production in the Northeastern region increased from 3.78 lakh tons in 2014 to 7.05 lakh tones in 2025.
He further stated that over the past 12 years (2014–2025), the Central Government had provided a total of Rs. 2,228 crores to the Northeastern states, which includes Assam (Rs. 614.11 crore), Arunachal Pradesh (Rs. 246.03 crore), Manipur (Rs. 236.41 crore), Meghalaya (Rs. 240.32 crore), Mizoram (Rs. 246.79 crore), Nagaland (Rs. 209.49 crore), Sikkim (Rs. 109.41 crore), and Tripura (Rs. 322.23 crore). The Minister expressed his delight at attending the inauguration of India’s first Integrated Aquapark at Ziro in Arunachal Pradesh and announced that out of 11 more planned Integrated Aquaparks, 4 would be established in the Northeast region. He invited Mizoram to submit a Detailed Project Report (DPR) and complete the necessary land acquisition formalities to set up a similar facility in the State. Rajiv Ranjan Singh also announced that the central government has approved the Mizoram government’s proposal to establish a Fish Marketing Center at an estimated cost of Rs 50 crore in the State.
Additionally, he highlighted the immense potential for ornamental fisheries, Coldwater fisheries, and inland fisheries in the Northeast. He noted that the central government wishes to promote cluster-based fish farming by setting up 8 notified clusters in the region, upgrade the existing National Fisheries Development Board facility in Assam, and digitally onboard all fish farmers in the area. The Minister further stated that the government is ready to invest Rs 200–300 crore under the Mission Amrit Sarovar in the Northeast. He promised that after the monsoon season, top officials from the NDDB, NFDB, and the central ministry would tour the northeastern states to assess their needs and potential first-hand.
On animal husbandry, the Minister stated that the Northeastern states had achieved growth of 37% in milk production, 40% in egg production and 15% in meat production. However, he urged the states to use this progress as fresh momentum to unleash their true potential. The Minister also stressed the importance of strengthening cooperative societies across the Northeast, expanding artificial insemination services, improving infrastructure, promoting technology adoption and enhancing human resource capacity building. Referring to livestock diseases, the Minister said the Central Government is making every effort to develop vaccines for disease prevention. He also announced plans to establish an NDDB Regional Office in Guwahati.