Arunachal MLA Toko Tatung pitches for revival of border trades with South East Asian countries

OUR CORRESPONDENT

ITANAGAR: Newly elected Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar) MLA Toko Tatung on Friday requested the Arunachal Pradesh government to propose to the Centre to resume border trade with neighbouring South East Asian nations for the state’s economic development.

Participating in the motion of thanks to the governor’s address delivered in the House on June 15, Tatung highlighted the potential benefits of reopening border trade, particularly for a resource-limited state like Arunachal Pradesh.

“We should move a proposal to the central government requesting it to revive border trade with Myanmar through Pangsau Pass. If border trade is re-opened, it will be beneficial for a resource-crunch state like Arunachal Pradesh,” he said.

  Historically, trade between India and Myanmar had existed before Independence on a small scale. On September 26, 1950, the two countries signed an agreement, exempting indigenous hill tribes within 40 km of the border from passport requirements for trade purposes.

Tatung emphasized the importance of resuming border trades, especially in light of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s focus on Northeast development, asserting that it would transform the region’s economic landscape.

He called upon Arunachal’s Lok Sabha MPs to champion efforts to reopen border trade, underscoring its potential to stabilise the state’s economy despite its current status as a consumer rather than producer state. “Our two Lok Sabha MPs should put all-out efforts to re-open border trade,” the lawmaker said.

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