Tripura CM Biplab Kumar Deb (File photo)

AGARTALA: Tripura chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb has said he and his family will rear cows at his official residence to motivate people to do the same so they can fight malnutrition by drinking milk and simultaneously eke out a living.

"Today, I am announcing that I will start domestication of cows at the CM's residence along with my family and will consume its milk. This will inspire the people of Tripura to do the same and help them fight malnutrition," he told a gathering of the Kishan Morcha, BJP's farmers' wing, here on Sunday.

Saying that his government would soon launch a project to provide 10,000 cows to 5,000 farmers' families through bank loans to generate employment and also meet the demand for milk in the state, he added, "One has to invest Rs 10,000 crore to employ 2,000 people. But if I provide 10,000 cows to 5,000 families, they will start earning in six months." He said the state government will bear the interest on the loans but the principal would have to be repaid by the beneficiaries.

Talking to TOI on Monday, the chief minister said per capita consumption of milk in the state was very low.

