SHILLONG: Meghalaya Home Minister Roshan Warjri has stressed on the importance of developing a “multi-mode” transport system to improve market requirements.
“Such initiative will provide ample opportunities for the thriving relationship with Asia and South East Asia and the outcome will be constructive,” Warjri said while speaking at the two-day policy meet on economic and transport development in border areas in Eastern South Asia here on Wednesday.
“The introduction of multi-mode which would include sea, air and cable routes would upscale the market requirements,” Warjri said.
Stating that lack of adequate infrastructure in border areas was hampering trade links between the Northeast and neighbouring countries, she said it was important to develop Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in the Northeast to facilitate trade and commerce. “We need to tap the resources for economic uplift of the people of the Northeast. Inter-state trade and foreign trade are necessary to boost the economy,” Warjri said.
Speaking on the occasion, the North Eastern Council (NEC) member MP Bezbaruah 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,” Bezbaruah said.
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.
Bezbaruah mentioned about the Asian highway which will be extended with tourism facilities in order to facilitate both vehicular traffic as well as tourists.
UNESCAP chief economist Nagesh Kumar expressed dismay over the poor transportation system in the region.
He said that if transportation is improved, the additional annual trade between the Northeast and its neighbours would increase by $50 billion.