Centre to invest Rs 900 crore on border trade centres

Aizawl, Sep 3 (UNI) Union Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh today said about eight new Border Trade Centres (BTC) would be set up with Bangladesh very soon out of which four will be in Northeast.

India will spend Rs 900 crores in three years for the development of these 8 centres.

Four border trade centres will be set-up in the NE states and the remaining four would be established in West Bengal.

Apart from the eight BTCs with Bangladesh there will be four BTCs with Nepal and one with Pakistan.

Besides, the NE states had asked for more BTCs with Myanmar apart from the one already in Moreh. Arunachal Pradesh has also requested for opening up three BTCs, one each with Pakistan, China, and Myanmar.

These decisions were taken after meeting with all the eight state governments of North East Council (NEC) on export promotion on what needs to be done by the Centre.

'' The Centre's emphasis is on export that promotes employment in the field of agriculture, horticulture, handicrafts, handloom, and all similar industries that generates employment, '' said the Minister while stating that export should not be seen in terms of dollar but jobs and development of the region.

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