India to help restore Myanmar port
Dec 16, 2006 - 8:53:30 PM
, Reviewed by: Priya Saxena
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'Responding to the demands of the northeastern states, the government would soon announce its decision to extend the North-East Industrial Policy, which expires in March next year, for another ten years, with additional benefits and incentives,' Ramesh added.
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By RxPG News Service,
[RxPG] Agartala, Dec 16 - India is to invest Rs.4.5 billion - for the development of Myanmar's Sittwe port to connect northeastern India with East Asia.
'Under the bilateral agreement, the work for the multi-model project would start next month and it would be completed within the next three years,' Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh said here Saturday.
The Sittwe port, earlier known as Akyab port, would be connected with Mizoram through Kaladyn river. India's public sector organisation RITES is to rebuild the port, which is 160 km from Mizoram.
'New Delhi wants to connect northeast India with the ASEAN - countries without Bangladesh,' Ramesh told reporters here.
He said that after the formation of a new government in Bangladesh, India would again request Dhaka to allow New Delhi to use the Chittagong international port and Sherpur and Ashuganj ports to transport goods and passengers between the northeast and the rest of the country.
Ramesh pointed out that Agartala should be connected with Akhaurah railway station in Bangladesh as they have just 14 km between them.
The distance between Agartala and Dhaka is just 150 km whereas Agartala-Kolkata spans 1,650 km. Also, the distance between Agartala and Kolkata through Bangladesh would be reduced to 350 km.
'India would spend Rs.8.5 billion to develop 13 Land Customs Stations - in the next three years and improve bordering infrastructure to increase trade with Pakistan, Nepal, Myanmar and Bangladesh,' the commerce minister stated.
Of the 13 LCS, one is on the India-Pakistan border, four on the India-Nepal border, one on the India-Myanmar border and seven on the India-Bangladesh border.
Ramesh added that Rs.600 million would be spent in the next 15 months to make the Akhaurah checkpost with Tripura of international standards.
'Responding to the demands of the northeastern states, the government would soon announce its decision to extend the North-East Industrial Policy, which expires in March next year, for another ten years, with additional benefits and incentives,' Ramesh added.
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