Centre allocates Rs 900 crore for new border trade centres

Guwahati, May 28 (UNI) The Centre has earmarked Rs 900 crore for setting up 13 new border trading centres to improve trade with neighbouring countries in the next three years.

Sources informed here today that out of 13, four centres would be in the Northeast, to boost trade with Bangladesh. Four more trade centres would be with Nepal and one with Pakistan.

The trading centre with China at Nathula in Sikkim would become operational within two months. Border trading centre at Nathula would help to boost Sikkim's trade with the hinterland in North Bengal.

There is demand from Arunachal Pradesh for setting up of a border trade centres in the hilly state which shares border with Bhutan, China and Myanmar.

The Union Commerce Ministry is planning to set up a border trading point with Bhutan for benefit of Nagaland and Mizoram.

Currently the country has only one border trading point located at Moreh in Manipur with Myanmar.

Lack of adequate infrastructure for bilateral trade increase 'informal' trade along the border, particularly in the North East.

India's volume of informal trade with Nepal and Bangladesh is estimated to be at par with that of the formal trade.

According to the Customs Department country's 'informal' trade with Bhutan and Myanmar are considerably high.

Export from the Northeastern region accounted for Rs 391.85 crore in 2004-05 while imports from international market in the fiscal stood at Rs 30.35 crore.

A large portion of goods find their way into the country through 'informal' trade routes and 'informal' exports consist largely of essential food items, medicines and consumer items.

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