Act East Policy: more needs to be done, says Assam minister

The Act East Policy has provided the North East with an opportunity to reinvent itself as the hub of the country's relations with her eastern neighbours, but more needs to be done in that direction, senior Assam minister Chandra Mohan Patowary said on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to recast the Look East Policy into a more proactive Act East Policy in 2014 has mentioned that North-East India would play an important role in it, Patowary, Assam's Industry and Act East Affairs minister, said at the inaugural session of the two-day Indo- Bangla Stakeholders' Meet here.

"We have to, however, admit that a lot more needs to be done in that direction and so we have given a special focus on our immediate neighbourhood Bangladesh and Myanmar. During the past one year, some very good developments have taken place vis-a-vis India and Bangladesh," he said.

In view of these developments, it was decided to organise this stakeholders' meeting to generate awareness about the opportunities made available to exporters and transporters, address loose ends and harness cooperation of all, the minister said.

"In this regard, I call upon the authorities concerned on early restoration of railway links between Karimganj (Assam) and Sylhet (Bangladesh)," Patowary said.

India and Bangladesh has recently concluded the SOP to accord access to vessels from North East India to Chittagong and Mongla ports in Bangladesh.

"We must also make efforts for easy transportation through the waterways of Chittagong and Mongla Ports. I also request our Ministry of Shipping of our Government to convert the ports of Assam - Sadiya, Dibrugarh, Sylghat, Neamatighat, Pandu, Jagighopa and Karimganj - into international standards. We also request the Union Government to expedite the Multi Modal Logistic Hub at Jogighopa," he said.

On the BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal) Agreement in 2015, Patowary said it is yet to be implemented in totality because of reservations by some countries but India and Bangladesh can come forward to work on mutual areas of interest to usher in development in South East Asia.

In order to effect enhancement of trade, the tariff issues should be sorted out and the non-tariff barriers along with issues like infrastructure, shortage of manpower, non- tariff barriers, restriction of movement of people and vehicles and efforts should be resolved, Patowary said.

It is also important that the Land Custom Stations with Bangladesh at Sutarkandi, Golakganj, Mankachar and Dhubri, as well as the ones in Tripura, are developed in the right earnest, Patowary said.