NEC for setting up of SEZs along borders to promote trade

The North Eastern Council today suggested setting up of Special Economic Zones in areas along the international borders in the North East to ensure regional products get competitive price at international markets.
"Special Economic Zone is an identity which we (North East region) badly need at the moment. These are areas where we produce goods that other countries are keen to import," NEC member M P Bezbaruah said.
The NEC member was addressing at a policy meet on economic and transport development in the border areas today organised jointly by the Asian Development Bank and the United Nations Economic Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific.

He said the need to set up SEZs at border areas is to ensure that beneficiaries get a competitive price at the international markets by way of reducing the transportation costs involved.
"Cost of transport from Guwahati to Imphal is much higher than from Delhi to Guwahati. That is why we cannot be competitive," he said.
He, however, said the policy makers and the Centre have to conceptualise on where the SEZs should be set up apart from identifying the kind of products, how to produce them and the benefits and facilities thereof.
"First we should identify what we are going to sell and what are our comparative advantages. Once we know that, we have comparative advantages in raw materials and things that are of huge demand in South Asia and beyond," Bezbaruah said.

He also highlighted the need for the value addition of ginger and turmeric which are of high demand in Myanmar and other South East Asian countries.