NERCPA urges Centre to improve ties among the BTCs

Kohima, May 8: North East Region Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (NERCPA) has urged the Centre to improve the communication system, and trade and commerce within the countries of of Bangladesh and Myanmar through the Border Trade Centres.

The Plenary Session of the Conference resolved that the eight states must take up the issue with the Centre to aggressively promote the Union Government's ''Look East Policy'' since the region offers immense scope for development from this initiative, resulting in large-scale employment.

The Session was attended by the Speakers, Deputy speakers, Ministers, Legislators and bureaucrats from all over the North Eastern region, including Sikkim, except Manipur, The Conference, held between May 4-6, had resolved to construct all-weather roads to connect all the Border Trade Centres in Nagaland up to the International Border, including linking of Phek town with the International Border via Avangkhu Trade Centre and Mimi Trade Centre, Tuensang Town to International Border via Pangsha Trade Centre, Mon town to International Border via Longwa Trade Centre and Water ways from Tizu-Zungki confluence to Tizu(Nagaland)-Chindwin(Myanmar) confluence with a distance of 40 kms.

The Conference also resolved that the Railway Ministry would restore the rebate of six per cent on freight of goods allowed since 1983 to the North Eastern States, which was withdrawn on January 1, last year, with an enhancement up to 15 per cent rebate on freight.

By the recent changes in the classification of goods brought in by the Department of Railways, the increase in freight on goods were to be withdrawn and the North Eastern States be exempted from recent classification of goods.

The imposition of a busy season, surcharge of five per cent from April 1, 2006 to 30th June, 2006 and again extension on freight to North Eastern States has been withdrawn immediately.

NERCPA, which met here at the New Assembly Secretariat Complex for their three-day long 10th Conference have decided to hold its 11th Conference at Aizawl, Mizoram, next year and unanimously elected Asom Assembly Speaker Tanka Bahadur Rai as the new Chairman of the NERCPA.

UNI