Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday held a high-level meeting with Union Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, popularly known as Lalan Singh, in New Delhi to chart out a roadmap for accelerating the growth of Assam's fisheries and dairy sectors.
The meeting focused on leveraging Assam's vast natural resources to increase fish production, boost exports and strengthen the dairy ecosystem through infrastructure development and institutional support. Sharing details on X, Sarma said he had a "very good conversation" with the Union Minister and appreciated his "vast experience and deep understanding" of the sector.
The Chief Minister said the discussions centred on unlocking Assam's immense fisheries potential by scaling up fish production while simultaneously promoting exports through a stronger value chain. "We had a productive discussion on harnessing Assam's immense potential in the fisheries sector.
Along with increasing fish production, we also explored promoting fish exports by strengthening the value chain, improving processing infrastructure and enhancing market access," Sarma said. He added that both the Centre and the state would now work towards converting these ideas into concrete initiatives aimed at positioning Assam as a major fish-producing and fish-exporting hub.
The meeting also reviewed measures to strengthen Assam's dairy sector, with emphasis on expanding dairy cooperatives and improving animal healthcare infrastructure. According to Sarma, the discussions included enhancing veterinary facilities, establishing Pashu Aushadhi Kendras, setting up Tetra Pak (UHT) and milk powder plants, and improving cattle productivity through artificial insemination programmes.
Union Minister Lalan Singh, in a separate post on X, described the interaction as "warm and productive" and reiterated the Centre's commitment to supporting Assam's fisheries and dairy sectors. He said both leaders deliberated on increasing fish production, promoting exports, strengthening processing infrastructure and improving the value chain, while also discussing expansion of veterinary services, veterinary medicine centres, dairy processing units and livestock improvement initiatives.
Expressing confidence over the outcome of the meeting, the Union Minister said coordinated efforts by the Centre and the Assam government would create greater opportunities for farmers, entrepreneurs and rural livelihoods while accelerating the state's agricultural growth.
Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister K.K. Dwivedi, Assam Bhawan Resident Commissioner Kavitha Padmanabhan and senior officials of the concerned ministries attended the meeting.