Govt plans Land Port Authority of India
The Zoland TimesNew Delhi: As it seeks to increase trade with neighbouring countries, the government will soon set up a Land Port Authority of India, a single nodal agency, to develop and manage 15 land ports bordering China, Pakistan, Nepal, Myanmar and Bangladesh.
A Cabinet note is likely to be prepared for this purpose within a week and the Authority is expected to be set up in two months, Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh told PTI in an interactive session.
The Authority would come under the Ministry of Home Affairs, which will move the Cabinet note, he said.
A Rs 850 crore plan has been formulated to modernise the border trading points and provide necessary connectivity, he said, adding the plan would be executed by RITES.
RITES would be entrusted with developing infrastructure including proper road connectivity, facilities for testing and customs including Electronic Data Interchange.
The 15 dry ports include eight on Indo-Bangladesh border, four on Indo-Nepal border and one each at borders with China, Myanmar and Pakistan, he said.
The most important border trading point with Bangladesh was Petrapole, about 80 km from Kolkata, from where 80 per cent of India's exports and 100 per cent of its imports are conducted. Raxaul was the main customs station with Nepal, Moreh was the main land port with Myanmar and Attari was the main trading route with Pakistan, he said.
The proposed Authority was necessitated as infrastructure on the Indian side was more under-developed as compared to the neighbouring countries