Imphal, September 08, 2010:: Commerce and Industries Minister Y Erabot Singh has assessed the progress of the ongoing construction works related to Indo-Myanmar free trade at Moreh town.

Soon after reaching the border town yesterday, Y Erabot inspected construction works of Moreh Trade Centre and Integrated Check Post (ICP), which is one of the infrastructures being developed to absorb inevitable rise in trade volume once the Indo-Myanmar free trade is regularised under the ambitious Look East Policy of the Central Government.

For setting up the ICP, 45 acres of land have been acquired with the affected families provided necessary compensation money, said the minister, who also inspected condition of the diversion road from Lalkoi Veng upto the border bridge (Gate No 1) during which he noted sub-standard work concerning culvert alignment, road gradient and what he described as unsatisfactory engineering supervision along the 4.58 kilometres stretch.

Erabot promptly instructed officials accompanying him to take up necessary remedial measures.

With regard to construction of a bridge over Khujairok river on the same diversion road, the Minister suggested increasing height of the structure and disclosed to newspersons that owing to disturbances from certain quarters construction work is being delayed.

Erabot, who is also the Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Minister also inspected the rice storage facility in the border town and instructed officials concerned to repair cracks that had developed at the godown floor.

It may be mentioned that in a previous visit Minister Erabot had personally dismantled some portion of the godown on the ground that it lacked quality control.

Y Erabot, whose two day visit to the border town is said to be fourth while in charge of the ministerial portfolio, told a group of newspersons that from the initial list of 18 items included in the export-import items between India and Myanmar, the number was raised to 22 to the current list of 40 items.

Referring to construction of Namphalong market complex on the Myanmar as a lesson for indian authorities to learn in case the trade opportunity is to be capitalised on, the Minister said plan is on for a similar complex at Moreh for which process is on to procure financial assistance from the Centre.

Conceding that due to imposition of economic blockade in the last few months coupled with landslides along the National highways, there is shortage of essential commodities including rice which is the staple food of the people, he confided that Myanmar's offer to provide 30,000 metric tonne of rice to Manipur is being considered at the top level.

Erabot also informed that testing of the rice quality has been carried out and the Centre's approval is being awaited to begin import of the food item.

Disclosing that an informal complaint has been received regarding officials/personnel of Govt departments such as customs, excise and police levying unauthorised tax from traders, the Minister iterated that the matter is being accorded importance and necessary steps would be taken up soon to address the chronic problem.

The menace of armed groups extorting money from small time traders would also be dealt with appropriately, he asserted.

In what could be described as major boost to the Look East Policy, it is informed that Ambassadors of seven south east Asian countries would be arriving at Imphal soon.

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