UNAKOTI (KAILASHAHAR),Dec 27 (TIWN): Modi Govt's 'act-east'policy resulting in economic cooperation between Bangladesh & India's NE region to boost regional economy. ‘Northeastern State Tripura will get 2 more border haats at Unakoti Dist and Bangladesh Govt has already given approval to it’, said Tripura Industry Minister Tapan Chakraborty on Monday at Kailashahar. Along with that the ongoing border haats infrastructure to be developed more so that it would ease the business there and the commercial transparency will boost the Indo-Bangla relation further, said Chakraborty. Industry Minister further said, “At Bangladesh’s Moulabazaar Jila border area 2 border haats approval has done already”.

“At present 50 traders are doing business at Srinagar and Kamalasagar border haats. Now the number will be doubled with 100 businessmen and atleast 100 dollars selling will be approved for the traders”, he added. In this regard 29 to 31st Dec a business summit will be held at Moulabazar, where Minister Tapan Chakraborty and other Govt officials  will remain present.

Tapan Chakraborty said this in a programme held Kailashahar, under Unakoti Dist. on the occasion of a Factory inauguration.

However, for Northeast Investment Policy’s re-implementation Minister thanked the Central Govt due to which a subsidy will be given to the businessmen.

However as per July months data given by the same Minister it was said that out of total 8 proposed Border Haats the Central Ministry has given approval for 4 four only in first phase, of which only 2 are sanctioned.

Both the Haats have been set up and but there are haats yet only in plan as Raghna, North Tripura, Kamalpur, Dhalai Dist. Boxanagar, Sipahijala District, Bamutia, West Tripura District, Ekinpur, Belonia, South Tripura District, Hirachhara, Kailashahar, Unakoti.

It’s worthy to mention here that Bangladesh is the nearest trade partner of Tripura in export-import activities. The unique feature of trade between Tripura and Bangladesh is that here Bangladesh experiences positive trade balance with Tripura. But reportedly, Bangladesh Govt. is not so much interested to open border haats.

Setting up of more Border Haats in Tripura seems not so easy as the Tripura Govt is crying only over fund-allocation.

Although,for Kamalpur and Raghna Border Haats, land has been identified in the Indian side but the same is yet to be finalized at the Bangladesh side.

Haat Management Committees have been constituted in Indian side, but for Bangladesh side, the Committees are yet to be constituted, due to which there is not much progress in setting up these two Border Haats.

No local taxes would be imposed on the items to be sold in the haats and currencies of both the countries would be accepted.

Two border haat were set up in 2012 on Meghalaya-Bangladesh border - Kalaichar (India)-Baliamari (Bangladesh) and Dalora (Bangladesh)-Balat (India).

India and Bangladesh share 4,096-km border along West Bengal (2,216 km), Tripura (856 km), Assam (263 km), Meghalaya (443 km) and Mizoram (318 km). The two neighbours have 2,979 km of land border and 1,116 km of river line boundaries.