Home Minister Rajnath to inaugurate ICP at Moreh on March 15 to boost trade with Myanmar
Source: The Sangai Express / Courtesy - Hindustan Times

Moreh, March 12 2018: Union home minister Rajnath Singh will inaugurate the much awaited Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Moreh, along India-Myanmar border, to boost border management and trade infrastructure on Thursday, coinciding with the first anniversary of Manipur's maiden Bharatiya Janata Party government.

The ICP opening is part of the 'inauguration fortnight' chief minister N Biren Singh announced recently to mark the anniversary.

During the fortnight, the government is expected to inaugurate 116 projects across the state.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also invited to attend the celebration, but his visit it yet to be confirmed.

If the trip materialises, the PM will inaugurate the five-day 105th Indian Science Congress to be held at Manipur University near Imphal on March 16.Modi is also expected to lay the foundation stone for National Sports University, besides inaugurating other major projects in the state during the visit.

BJP national president Amit Shah is also scheduled to take part in a separate celebration to be organised by the party's state unit to mark the completion of the BJP-led government's one year in the state.

Security has been intensified across the state and regular combing operations are being conducted in sensitive and strategic locations to ensure peaceful celebrations.

Search operations were conducted on Sunday in certain pockets of Moreh town, which has been fortified ahead of Singh's visit.

"We are constantly monitoring the situation and the security in and around the ICP has also been intensified," said Tengnoupal superintendent of police S Ibomcha.

Located about 110km south of Imphal, Moreh is India's gateway to South East Asian countries.

Manipur shares 398km-long International border with Myanmar.

Construction of the Rs 136-crores ICP project was started more than two decades ago after the operation of Indo-Myanmar border trade to systematise Indo-Myanmarese commercial activities.

According to government figure the border trade with Myanmar increased from $12.80 million in 2010-11 to $71.64 in 2015-16 .

But bulk of this was informal trade.

Creation of trade infrastructure such as the ICP is expected to increase formal trade.

The border post at Moreh, in Manipur's Tengnoupal district, contrpls 99% of the border trade with Myanmar.

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