Standing Committee to raise Nathu La trade demands in Parliament

Nathu La, May 25 (UNI) The Parliamentary Committee on Commerce today assured the Sikkim government and traders to raise their demands in Parliament for ensuring all the necessary infrastructural facilities for Nathu La border trade.

''The traders need not worry. The Union Commerce and Industries Ministry will definitely help to improve the situation. They will have all the facilities,'' MP and leader of the five-men Parliamentary Committee E Ponnuswamy, who visited the Nathu La border and Sherathang trade mart, said.

Regarding the demand for expansion of the present list of import-export items in the Nathu La border trade, Mr Ponnuswamy said the Centre had already been informed about it, and added, ''the committee is alive to the situation and will do its best to improve it.'' The Standing Committee was on a two-day tour of Sikkim to have first-hand information on the infrastructural requirements of the border trade between Sikkim and Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR) which began on May 19 for the third year.

The team was accompanied by officials from Union Commerce and Industries Ministry.

After his visit, Mr Ponnuswamy told mediapersons that the Committee would help Sikkim in the border trade.

A meeting had been conducted yesterday between the Committee and the trade stakeholders where several issues and demands had been made.

''We have noted the demands and will report to Parliament to take a decision,'' Mr Ponnuswamy said.

The Committee said it was moved by the condition of the Nathu La trade and asserted that it would ''spare nothing'' to help Sikkim.

The State government officials also presented their activities and future infrastructural projects to the Parliament any team during the Nathu La trip.

UNI BG DPM SW BD1250