Arunachal needs to invest in agro-sector : Thai Minister

Itanagar, Jan 10 (UNI) Advocating for the need to create infrastructure and remove communication bottlenecks, Thailand Deputy Industries Minister Piyabutr Cholvijarn has suggested Arunachal Pradesh to go for investment in agriculture sector owing to the state's suitable climatic and soil conditions.

The Minister, who arrived here this afternoon with an 18-member Thai delegation to explore the investment opportunities in the state, told mediapersons that Arunachal Pradesh should be a agro- producer state so that Thailand could act as the processor of food products to feed the world.

'' Our country needs agro-based raw materials for food processing industries and Arunachal, with rich natural resources, would be an ideal partner in substituting our demands, '' he added.

Appreciating the abundant resources of the state, the Minister stated that Arunachal would be an ideal destination for foreign investment, if proper incentives and other opportunities were extended by the state government.

'' Thailand is seriously intersted in forging investment partnership with the Northeastern states and the visit is the first step in this direction, '' he commented, stating that Thailand and Arunachal were all set to build an excellent partnership in the days to come.

'' I have not seen any partnership going so fast within a period of 12 months, '' he said, while referring to the development between the Northeast and Thailand. He, however, praised Union DoNER Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar for initiating the mission.

The mission of the delegation to explore investment possibilities in the Northeastern states was a follow-up of the North East India Trade and Investment Opportunities Summit held at Bangkok during October last year.

The delegation, including Secretary General of Board of Investment Satit Chanjabamakul, yesterday held a meeting in Guwahati and was scheduled to hold similar such meetings at Gangtok, Kolkata and New Delhi on January 11, 12 and 13 before leaving India.

Earlier, Arunachal Pradesh Public Health Engineering Minister on behalf of the state government, highlighted the investment potentials of the state in various sectors.

Powerpoint presentations were also made during the interactive session on horticulture, tourism and industrial sectors of the state.

Most of the participants during the interactive session advocated for strengthening the communication facilities, besides creating more infrastructure in the state for attracting foreign investors.

DoNER Secretary V S Rao, India Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Secretary General Rajiv Singh and ICC Chairman North East Chapter M K Saharia were among those who spoke on the occasion.

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