Draw border trade road map: Govt

Aizawl, Oct 20: In a bid to improve trade relations with Southeast Asian countries, especially Bangladesh, Nepal, China and Thailand, the Centre has asked all North Eastern states to draw up a comprehensive road map.

Referring to the recent communique of the Union Commerce Ministry, official sources here today said the Centre was seriously contemplating extending support to all land customs stations in the region to help create a conducive atmosphere for export of minerals, tea, handloom and flowers to the neighbouring countries.

Sources said the Commerce Ministry had vouched for contributing a steady and sustainable environment for trade development in the NE region by next year.

'' The Ministry's vision is to develop the region, and backward states should not remain landlocked any more and we have managed 103 million US dollars, approximately Rs 450 crore for this purpose, '' it said.

According to the detailed project report (DPR) of Commerce Ministry, substantial fund would be sanctioned for development the old port of Akyab in Myanmar to be connected with the Kolodyne river flowing through southern Mizoram.

With this connection, Mizoram will become the hub of trade with Myanmar as well as the rest of India and hopefully it will be commissioned by 2009, sources added.

UNI