Imphal, November 22 2010: The proposed attempt to import 30,000 metric tonnes (MT) of rice by Manipur Government from Myanmar since the 68-day economic blockade jointly called by All Naga Students' Association Manipur (ANSAM) and United Naga Council (UNC) this year has not been able to materialize as yet.

The permission to import 30,000 MT of rice from Myanmar following scarcity in essential commodities in the State due to prolonged economic blockade is still awaited from the Director General of Foreign Trade, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, said a source.

It is worth a painful recollection that during the 68-day economic blockade called by the Naga bodies, prices of essential commodities have gone astronomically high in the State with the Government not in a position to procure rice from PDS.

This necessitated import of rice from neighboring Myanmar the permit of which is still pending with the concerned ministries and authorities.

Surprisingly tough, with the lifting of the economic blockade by the Naga bodies now 4 months passed, the people of Manipur is still reeling under the after-effect.

This despite the fact that the Department of Commerce and Industries, Government of Manipur, has taken up the initiative to increase the volume of trade at Moreh border town to facilitate trade deficit.

Initiatives has also been taken up to expedite the creation of facilities such as Trade Centre, stay facility and trade information centre, warehouse, weight bridge, Integrated Check Post (ICP) etc.

at Moreh.

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