Agartala, July 25:In a major step towards strengthening rural livelihoods, Tripura launched its first-ever Livestock Insurance Scheme under the National Livestock Mission (NLM) during a state-level program held at Pragna Bhavan on Friday.
The scheme aims to safeguard farmers against financial losses due to the death of livestock and was inaugurated by Animal Resources Development Minister Sudhangshu Das, who highlighted its transformative potential for the agricultural sector.
“This insurance scheme will largely benefit farmers by protecting them from heavy losses in case of animal deaths,” said the Minister. Under the scheme, farmers will only contribute 15% of the insurance premium, while the remaining 85% will be covered by the Central and State governments in a 90:10 ratio.
The scheme offers coverage for a wide range of animals including milch cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goats, and pigs—both indigenous and crossbred. The Agriculture Insurance Company of India, in partnership with Tripura’s Animal Resources Development Department (ARDD), will implement the scheme across the state.
The Central Government has approved ₹913.66 lakh to support the rollout. Minister Das urged all livestock farmers in the state to enroll and take full advantage of this financial safety net.
The launch event also included awareness sessions on scheme benefits and implementation strategies. As part of the ceremony, six farmers were awarded the first policy certificates by dignitaries including Dr. Neeraj Kumar Chanchal, Director of ARDD, Biswajit Shil, Sabhadipati of West Tripura Zilla Parishad, and Deepa D. Nair, Secretary of ARDD.
Around 300 participants, including farmers and officials, attended the event. Farmers welcomed the initiative, expressing hope that it will bring much-needed relief after years of facing livestock-related losses without compensation.
This landmark initiative is expected to enhance the economic resilience of Tripura’s rural farming communities.
