Centre pursuing issues of northeast on mission mode: Sitharaman

Union Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said the central government would pursue all matters related to India's northeast region on a "mission mode".

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked all central ministers to speedily deal with all issues of northeastern states and sort them out without any delay," Sitharaman said.

Modi also asked the ministers to visit the region whenever needed, she said.

Sitharaman was speaking after inaugurating a land customs station (LCS) at Zokhawthar in Mizoram's Champhai district on Wednesday.

Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla, senior officials from Myanmar and Indian Consul General at Mandalay Nanda Kumar were present on the occasion.

The National Democratic Alliance government would follow all matters associated with northeastern states on a "mission mode", she added.

"The government is keen to directly deal with the people of northeast as we are on a mission mode. Steps would be taken for setting up of banks and post offices in the remote areas of the northeast," the minister said.

The LCS in Zokhawthar, bordering Myanmar, will facilitate trade with the neighbouring country. It is equipped with a weigh bridge, plant quarantine building and toll gate.

Sitharaman said she has already inaugurated a 'border-haat' (border market) along the India-Bangladesh border in Tripura on January 13 and visited a border trade centre at Moreh (along the Myanmar border) in Manipur.

"Myanmar has border with four Indian states (Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh) and international trade between India and Myanmar currently stands at $2.28 billion," she said.

With the development of infrastructure along the borders this trade volume would increase further, Sitharaman added.

She said that "India is setting up international standard multi-purpose integrated check posts along its borders with Bangladesh, Myanmar and Pakistan to increase trade and business with the neighbouring countries."

"The 'border haats' are being set up along the India-Bangladesh border to increase trade in the local produce of both the nations," she said.

Lal Thanhawla said India-Myanmar border trade centres were being planned at four other places in Mizoram and weekly "border haats" were being planned at another four places on the border.

The chief minister said he had also spoken to Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina twice about the border trade and experts from that country are expected to visit the border soon to identify suitable locations for trade centres.

Mizoram has an unfenced international border of 510 km with Myanmar and 318 km with Bangladesh. The Border Security Force guards the Bangladesh border and troopers of the Assam Rifles are posted at the Myanmar border.

A Mizoram industries and commerce department official said India and Myanmar, at the 5th India-Myanmar Joint Trade Committee meeting in Nay Pyi Taw last month, agreed to enhance trade and investment between the two countries by removing bottlenecks such as lack of good connectivity and banking arrangements.