'Nathu-La be opened for more business opp'

Kolkata, Oct 17: Despite the opening of Nathu-La as one of the main trading routes between India and China in July this year, the volume of trade through this route remained unsatisfactory so far primarily because of the trade barrier imposed by the Centre.

This view was expressed here today by West Bengal Municipal and Urban Development Minister Ashok Bhattacharya while speaking to newsmen after addressing members of the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC).

Mr Bhattacharya said though the new trade route in Sikkim was opened about three months ago, only about 28 Sikkim based Indian trades were allowed to operate. As a result, the volume of Indian export to China continued to remian minimum and was yet to cross the Rs three million mark.

Citing the strict government regulations, including the manadatory of having pan card for every trader as the main stumbling block, to further the trading activiting through this mountaneous route, Mr Bhattacharya said unfortunately no trader from West Bengal or for that matter from any state other than Sikkim was allowed to do business through Nathu-La causing the present low volume.

''In fact we are yet to tap the true potential of this unique route which had been re-opened after years of negotiations at highest level in both the countries,'' Mr Bhattacharya said and urged the Centre to immediately lift its ban from other states to allow its traders to operate through Nathu-la like their counterparts in Sikkim.

Since the Chinese government had perhaps not imposed any such restrictions, the volume of export items from across the international border was much higher during the past three months, informed sources said.

UNI