Press Information Bureau

Government of India

Ministry of Commerce & Industry

21-July-2011 18:20 IST

Anand Sharma to Inaugurate Border Haat at Kalaichar Meghalaya Bilateral Trade Worth US $ 20 Million Annually Estimated from Border Haats

Shri Anand Sharma Union Minister of Commerce, Industry and Textiles will jointly inaugurate Border Haat at Kalaichar, West Garo Hill District in Meghalaya with his Bangladesh counterpart Mr. Muhammad Faruk Khan on Saturday. Shri Sharma has expressed the hope that “the opening of Border Haats shall herald a new chapter of cooperation in India-Bangladesh trade. I am confident that the opening of Border Haats will make the border villages on both sides more prosperous through improved market accessibility for their locally produced goods. It is estimated that bilateral trade worth 20 million US $ will take place annually from the Border Haats once they are opened. ” Dr. Mukul M. Sangma Chief Minister of Meghalaya will also be present on the occasion. The event is being organised by the Ministery of Commerce & Industry, Government of India and the Shellac & Forest product promotion council (Shefexil).

The Border Haats aim at promoting the well being of the people dwelling in remote areas across the borders of India and Bangladesh by establishing traditional system of marketing of local produce. The commodities traded shall be locally produced vegetables, food items, fruits, spices; minor local forest produce e.g. bamboo, bamboo grass, and broom stick but excluding timber; products of local cottage industries like Gamcha, Lungi etc.; small locally produced agriculture household implements e.g., dao, plough, axe, spade, chisel etc.; locally produced garments, melamine products, processed food items, fruit juice, etc. The list of items allowed for trade in designated Border Haats may be expanded/ modified by mutual consent.

Initially, the Border Haats as pilot projects, are to be opened at Baliamari (Kurigram District, Bangladesh )-Kalaichar (West Garo Hills, Meghalaya,India and at Lauwaghar (Dalora) (Sunamganj District,Bangladesh)-Balat (East Khasi Hills, Meghalaya,India).

In addition to the Border Haats, both sides are working on several projects to improve trade infrastructure and connectivity. Border Management Department of Ministry of Home Affairs in India is developing 7 Integrated Check Posts (ICPs) on India – Bangladesh Border viz; Petrapole, Agartala, Dawki, Hili, Chandrabangha, Sutarkhandi and Kawarpuchiah. Further, India is also developing infrastructure at 8 Land Custom Stations along the Indo – Bangladesh border at a cost of Rs.108.19 crores. The LCSs are Borosora, Dalu, Ghasupara, Mahadipur, Hilli, Phullbari, Srimantpur and Gojadanga. The total projected cost of all the ICPs and Land Custom Stations being developed is 125 US$ million.

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Border trade facilitation expands local market access through sanctioned border haats enabling regulated cross-border sale of local produce. The document announces inauguration of a Border Haat at Kalaichar to create a regulated marketplace for cross-border trade in locally produced agricultural, forest and cottage-industry goods, household agricultural implements and processed foods; the permitted list may be modified by mutual consent. Presented as a pilot to improve livelihoods and market access in remote border villages, the Haats are linked to broader infrastructure projects including development of Integrated Check Posts and Land Custom Stations to enhance connectivity and facilitate bilateral trade.