Industrial development on agenda
Moreh, Dec 6 : Manipur deputy chief minister Gaikhangam today laid the foundation of a multi-storey market complex at Moreh, a border township, marking the start of a series of infrastructure development projects aimed at exploiting maximum benefits from the Look East policy.
The Rs 22-crore market complex will come up next to border gate number 2 and will house domestic products under the trade items. The construction of the complex will be over in three months.
Earlier, there were 40 trade items under the agreement between India and Myanmar. The number was increased to 62 last month by adding 22 more items, including rice, medicines, motorcycles and electrical appliances.
Last year, the trade volume was Rs 4 crore and this year officials of the state trade and commerce department are estimating to increase the volume up to Rs 10 crore.
The trade and commerce department estimates that the trade volume could increase more than 50 per cent once the agreement to add 22 more items becomes operational.
While Myanmar developed modern shopping complexes at neighbouring Tamu and in the process of developing one more at Namphalong just a few steps inside Myanmar, Moreh did not have a proper shopping complex till today.
The construction of the market complex at Moreh aims to boost border trade and reap more benefits out of the trade. After the market complex, the construction of a 500-acre satellite town at Haolenphai, near border gate number 1 is on the agenda of the Ibobi Singh government.
“Our target is to make Moreh another industrial township like Frankfurt,” Gaikhangam said.
Gaikhangam, accompanied by commerce and industries minister Govindas Konthoujam, surveyed the proposed site for the satellite town. The government has already acquired land and is preparing a detailed project report for the approval of the Centre.
“The market complex is only the beginning. A series of development projects is in the pipeline. The satellite town will be a state-of-the-art cosmopolitan city. Big trade and commerce bodies like the Indian Chamber of Commerce will be invited to be the stakeholders,” Gaikhangam said.
So far, Myanmar is drawing more benefits out of the border trade. Gaikhangam admitted that Manipur or for that matter India could not draw much benefits.
The Ibobi Singh government has taken infrastructure development seriously as Moreh is the gateway to Asean countries and also in view of the Look East policy.
Gaikhangam urged all communities to shun narrow and selfish politics based on community interests.
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