Agartala, Dec 29: Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Ratan Lal Nath on Monday said the present government is committed to sustainable development and is working actively to ensure water conservation and environmental protection through rainwater harvesting and large-scale afforestation.
Inaugurating the Watershed Management Festival 2025 near the Tara Sundari Dam at Mohanpur in Taranagar, the minister stressed that storing rainwater and planting more trees are essential to secure the future of agriculture and livelihoods. According to a press release, Nath said that although the Earth comprises three parts water and one part land, the world is still facing an alarming water crisis due to poor management and excessive exploitation of resources.
He warned that experts have cautioned about the possibility of major conflicts in the future over water scarcity. “This programme is meant for areas where agriculture depends largely on rainfall and where water storage facilities are inadequate. Without storing water, agriculture cannot survive,” he said.
Citing examples, Nath pointed out that states such as Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan have already exhausted nearly 100 per cent of their groundwater reserves, while West Bengal uses around 52 per cent and Assam 15 per cent. Tripura, he said, currently uses about 9 per cent of its groundwater. “Though we are not facing a crisis today, failure to conserve water will create serious problems for future generations,” he cautioned.
Emphasising the role of farmers, Nath said that no amount of income would matter if food production comes to a halt. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given unprecedented importance to agriculture and considers farmers as the backbone of the nation.
“The Central and State governments are working for farmers, youth, women and the poor. If we focus on these sections, we can realise the vision of Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat,” he said. Nath also linked deforestation to floods and urged people to plant more trees.
The minister informed that Watershed Management Plan Phase-II began in 2021–22, with 48 schemes across Tripura’s 18 subdivisions. Phase-III will commence after March 2026. He said the Tara Sundari Dam canal will be restored and the area developed as a watershed zone with eco-tourism facilities, open gyms and other amenities.
So far, the government has constructed 181 check dams, created 1,014 ponds, developed 44 Amrit Sarovars, restored 135 ponds, built nearly 7 km of irrigation channels and undertaken afforestation over 1,400 hectares. “Agriculture is the foundation of sustainable development. If we cut one tree, we must plant ten,” Nath added.
