Ministry proposed for rail coach factory in state
India committed to strengthening BIMSTEC as a regional orgn: Ranjan
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, March 25 2023: Union minister of state for external affairs and education Dr RK Ranjan has urged Union rail ways minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to set up a rail coach factory for the north eastern states in Imphal.

In a letter to railways minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, RK Ranjan highlighted the need for setting up a rail coach factory in the North East and reminded the announcement made by former railways minister Mamata Banerjee in the Parliament for setting up a coach factory in Imphal.

It is the right time to set up a rail coach factory in the northeast and Imphal (Manipur) is the perfect location to cater to the needs of the South Asian countries, he said in the letter.

RK Ranjan also mentioned in the letter that a railway rc cruitment cell has been opened in Imphal since 2020 under his initiative.

He also said that rail way connectivity from Agartala to Akhaura and Araria to Galgalia will facilitate brisk commercial links with Bangladesh while Imphal Moreh Mandalay line will play a great role in connecting with ASEAN countries in future.

Urging the railways minister to expedite relevant process for rail connectivity up to Imphal by 2024 as promised, RK Ran jan informed that 92 per cent work progress has been made in the Imphal Jiri railway line and it will be a boon for future prosperity of the region and the country at large as and when the railway line is completed.

Once the Indian Railways link up with the rail network of ASEAN countries, scope for trade and commerce shall be expanded like anything and this will help the NE in becoming a growth engine of the country as envisaged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the union minister of state said in the letter.

RK Ranjan also requested the railway minister to start a Cen tre for Geological Study for the entire NE region under Manipur University as this will help in construction, upgrade and ex pansion of railways.

In his letter, RK Ranjan expressed hope that the NE will get its share of the 400 new generations Vande Bharat trains that will be manufactured in three years and the 100 PM Gati Shakti Cargo Terminals for multi model logistics facilities that will be developed.

On the other hand, Union minister RK Ranjan participated in the 2nd Conference on BIMSTEC: 25 Years of Driving Force behind Neighbourhood Cooperation.

The conference was organised by ISCS in collaboration with MEA on March 25 and 26 in Kolkata.

In his keynote address at the conference, RK Ranjan Singh highlighted India's commitment towards strengthening BIMSTEC as a regional organisation and recalled Prime Minister Modi's pledge for additional financial resources to the BIMSTEC secretariat during the grouping's Sri Lanka Summit in 2022.He also emphasised on the need to develop intra BIMSTEC trade and transport connectivity, to enable the region to attain growth, development, and achieve the goal of eradicating the scourge of poverty from the region.

The BIMSTEC regional grouping currently represents a combined GDP of USS 3.6 trillion, however intra-BIMSTEC trade still remains relatively small at USS 77 billion.

To increase intra BIMSTEC trade, RK Ranjan advised initiation of discussions on trade facilitation measures and promotion of regional value chain in agriculture.

He further highlighted the need to build a strong BIMSTEC community, driven by a strong feeling of 'being one region, one family and having one future' .

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