Immigration check post unfolds new hopes
The historic inauguration of the new immigration check post (ICP) at Darranga Land Port in the Tamulpur district in the presence of Bhutan PM Tshering Tobgay, Assam Governor Laxman Prasad Acharya, and union ministers has fulfilled the long-cherished dream of the people of India and Bhutan. Though it is an Indian facility, yet it will go a long way in strengthening age-old ties of friendship between India and Bhutan, as the people of Bhutan see it as a joint facility. Taking advantage of the geographical proximity of Assam and Bhutan, the former is poised for a bigger role, and the opportunity can be used as a springboard for boosting Indo-Bhutan bilateral ties. There is no doubt about it that the inauguration of the ICP in Assam speaks volumes about the prominence that the state has gained following the bilateral relations between the two countries. The editorial ‘Indo-Bhutan border infrastructure hopes for Assam’ (November 8) has rightly said that the facility will not only unlock new opportunities for cross-border trade, but it will also facilitate smooth cross-border movement for regional and international tourists. The new ICP brings new opportunities for Assam, creating new tourism circuits on both sides of the international border. The Bhutan authorities’ plan to develop the Gelephu Mindfulness City at its border town will definitely enable Assam to innovate new marketing strategies to take advantage of new trade and tourism potential through BTR. At the same time, the ATDC and BTDCL should initiate time-bound action plans to ensure that BTR areas also play the role of key stakeholders in the emerging economic opportunities and do not remain as mere transit spaces. These developments have also unlocked a new window of opportunity for skilled professionals. The Assam Skill University at Mangaldai must rise to the occasion in identifying the opportunities and quantifying the demand for skilled professionals to facilitate the state government and BTC authorities to draw pragmatic plans for required skill training. Harnessing the right skills at the right time for the right work should be the primary objective of the skill development university so that we can prevent skilled professionals and workers coming from outside to fill the gap. What is lacking is mass awareness, and hence the emphasis should be on the need for enrolment and implementation of multiple skill development policies and facilities to anticipate the skills that will be required in the near future.
Iqbal Saikia,
Guwahati.