New Delhi: The Centre has made it clear that Meghalaya has to create fund for the already sanctioned four border haats along the Indo-Bangladesh frontier in different parts of the state since the relevant scheme has been delinked from the Central support scheme from the last financial year.
Informing this in Rajya Sabha on Friday, Union Minister for Commerce and Industries Ms Nirmala Sitharaman said that the Centre had sanctioned four border haats and even released the first installment of Rs.18.59 crore in March last year under the Assistance to State for Developing Export Infrastructure and Allied Activities (ASIDE) for the purpose.
“But the ASIDE scheme has been subsequently delinked from the Central support from 2015-16 financial year,” she said.
Ms Sitharaman said this while replying to a question tabled by Mrs Wansuk Syiem, the lone Upper House member from Meghalaya.
“Meghalaya has been told to provide fund for completion of projects from the additional fund made available to it,” the Union Minister said.
Making the special mention in the House, Wansuk said that the Meghalaya Industrial Development Corporation had already prepared a detailed project report for four border haats in the State expecting timely clearance from the Centre.
Two border haats were set up in 2012 on Meghalaya-Bangladesh border – Kalaichar (India)-Baliamari (Bangladesh) and Dalora (Bangladesh)-Balat (India).
During the UPA regime it was announced that the state will have four more border haats – two in East Khasi Hills and one each in West Khasi Hills and South Garo Hills.
According to a Union Home Ministry report, India is keen to set up as many as 70 border markets near Bangladesh border.
Four NE states which share the border with Myanmar have also proposed 15 border haats along the India-Myanmar border to develop trans-border trade and business.
The border haats along the Meghalaya-Bangladesh border have been functional since Mughal period, providing a bridge between the local communities across the borders with barter trading facilities for their produce and, thus, promoted peace and brotherhood between the people of the two countries, Wansuk had said.
Anticipating time-bound clearance of related proposals, including a detailed project report prepared by the Meghalaya Industrial Development Corporation for setting up of border haats, the Government of Meghalaya is all set to implement the projects, once the Centre restores special block grants for the State, which now stand withdrawn, impeding infra development programmes in the State, she added.
The four border haats are- Bholaganj and Bangbari (East Khasi Hills), Nalikata (South West Khasi Hills) and Shibbari (South Garo Hills) .
