Arunachal Pradesh Urges Centre For Setting Up Economic Zone

Our Correspondent

Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh Industries, Trade & Commerce Minister Tumke Bagra has urged the Centre to re-consider minimum area requirement for setting up of an economic zone in the State especially, as a need based criteria considering the topography of the land-locked State.

Addressing the Board of Trade meeting in the national capital on Thursday which was chaired by union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, Bagra said that the economic zone would not only benefit the state but would also be helpful for the entire North East region for establishing trade with South East Asian countries.

The minister also stressed on the need for establishment of roadway kiosk in feasible locations in the state along the proposed Frontier Highway from Dudungarh to Pangsau Pass via Vijaynagar in Changlang district, Trans-Arunachal Highway and also along the East-West Industrial Corridor from Balemu in West Kameng district to Ruksin in East Siang district.

He said, setting up of Integrated Common Facility Centre with facilities like collection, sorting, grading, packaging & reefer van at feasible locations in the state would help the farmers besides setting up of agro-horti products organic certification units and food testing laboratories in Border Trade Centres and points.

Bagra added that establishments of inter-state Integrated Domestic Trade Centres in feasible inter-state boundary towns in North Eastern states would help farmers of the region economically, an official communiqué informed here.

“Goods originated from North East which are marketed to other states within the country be treated as deem export and some feasible incentive be devised,” Bagra said adding, inclusion of border trade through Pangsau Pass as one of the border trade point in the bilateral trade agreement between India and Myanmar should be on priority.

He said, the land customs station at Nampong in Changlang district which was notified way back in 1951 is lying non-function at present and further requested the union minister to initiate early action for re-opening of the station with required infrastructure and also for posting of a customs officer which would not only benefit the state but also the entire North East India.

Pointing out that at present there is no land customs station or customs infrastructure on Myanmar side, Bagra requested the Centre to initiate measures for creation of minimum infrastructure for operational of Land Customs Station near Pangsau Pass on Myanmar side through diplomatic channels.

Goyal, however, assured to establish an Export Promotion Council related to prime agricultural and horticultural products in Arunachal Pradesh which would give handholding agripreneur of the state to encourage youths in export business.

Pertaining to industry department, Bagra stressed that the Centre should announced North East Industrial Development Scheme (NEIDS) replacing North East Industrial Investment Promotion Policy (NEIIPP) 2007 after its sunset close.

Transport subsidy was provided to enterprises at 90 per cent on raw materials and 50 per cent on finished goods under NEIIPP 2007 Scheme.

However, under NEIDS, 20 per cent subsidy is being provided on finished goods only without transport subsidy on raw materials.

The minister requested the Centre to modify the NEIDS guideline by including transport subsidy on raw materials with higher rate in place of 20 per cent. He also stressed for acceptance of offline registration under the scheme, as there are connectivity issues in the remote districts of Arunachal Pradesh.

Bagra also accentuated on the point that road connectivity is a determinant of trade in the most viable border trade g under Indo-Myanmar sector through Pangsau Pass and under Indo-Bhutan Sector through Lumla.

He pointed that the Stilwell road constructed during 2nd World War passes through Pangsau Pass into Myanmar and connects up to Kunming in Yunan Province of China. Further re-building of Stilwell Road into Trans-Asian Highway will connect the North East India to ASEAN which would be much shorter and cheaper in comparison to the existing long sea routes.

“Re-opening of trade route through Pangsau Pass will greatly improve the trade relation between India and Myanmar and will also benefit the local population. Trading through this point will be commercially viable and mutually beneficial. This could be gateway towards the South East Asian countries,”he said.

Bagra also asserted that construction of road from Lumla in Arunachal Pradesh via Tashigong in Bhutan.

“The road from Lumla is motorable up to the Indo-Bhutan border point (Warongde) on the Indian side. A small stretch of 7 Km from Warongde to Khinye (Bhutan) is remaining to be connected, beyond which the all weather road exists connecting all parts of Bhutan and also, Guwahati via Samdrupdzongkar (Bhutan)/ Darranga LCS in Assam,” he pointed out.

He said, a mechanism must be evolved to construct the 7 Km stretch of road which, if could be made motorable, the people of Tawang district would get commodities at much cheaper price as journey to Guwahati via Tashigong shall be reduced by about 5 hrs compared to journey by Tezpur-Bomdila-Sela Pass.

“Torture of nature like landslide in summer and heavy snowfall in winter which disrupts surface communication at Sela Pass shall also be overcome once for all. Tawang, is an international tourist destination and the potential of tourism is huge, if tapped in proper manner, the place can be developed into one of the best tourist destinations in the country,” Bagra added.

The Board of Trade Meeting has been convened for discussion on strategies and measures to promote domestic manufacturing and exports with particular emphasis on export credit, Make in India and trade with FTA partners, the communiqué added.

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