Mizo meet to promote border trade-Move to kickstart hubs

Sources: The Telegraph, India

The secretary of the Mizoram trade and commerce department, Esther Lalruatkimi, today said the meeting would explore ways to kickstart the Rs 10-crore international border trade centres at Zokhawthar in Mizoram’s Champhai district on the Indo-Myanmar border and at Tlabung in Lunglei district on the Indo-Bangladesh border.

The Centre and the state government were concerned over the slow progress of the trade centres.

Lalruatkimi added that a number of central ministers would attend the Mizoram trade and investment conclave.

The meet aims at wooing prospective investors to fund the trade centres and also to invest in some agri-horticultural farms and industries in the state.

She added that the primary idea behind the conclave was to set up a business platform to help the border trade hubs to flourish.

The Union ministers who are expected to attend the meet are DoNER minister B.K. Handique, trade and commerce minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, minister of state for external affairs Shashi Tharoor and minister of state for rural development Agatha Sangma.

According to official sources in Mizoram, the ministers will take note of the impediments to the development of the trade centres.

This conclave has generated a keen interest among the various trade lobbies and forums, including the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and Northeast Initiative.

Various business forums in Bangladesh and the top brass from the Myanmar embassy in New Delhi will also send their delegations to the conclave.

Mizoram chief minister Lalthanhawla is expected to inaugurate the meet.

Sources in Aizawl today said the twin trade centres would definitely open up a vista for the future economic development of Mizo entrepreneurs, industrialists, farmers and craftsmen.

India’s horticulture and agricultural products from the Northeast, along with medicines, handicrafts, electronic items and minerals, would find a ready market at the international trade centres.