Published :Sunday, 24 April, 2016, Time : 12:00 AM View Count : 27
NEW DELHI, April 23: The Centre has made it clear that Meghalaya has to create fund for the already sanctioned four border haats along the Indo-Bangladesh frontier in different parts of the state since the relevant scheme has been delinked from the Central support scheme from the last financial year. Informing this in Rajya Sabha on Friday, Union Minister for Commerce and Industries Ms Nirmala Sitharaman said that the Centre had sanctioned four border haats and even released the first installment of Rs.18.59 crore in March last year under the Assistance to State for Developing Export Infrastructure and Allied Activities (ASIDE) for the purpose. "But the ASIDE scheme has been subsequently delinked from the Central support from 2015-16 financial year," she said. Ms Sitharaman said this while replying to a question tabled by Mrs Wansuk Syiem, the lone Upper House member from Meghalaya. "Meghalaya has been told to provide fund for completion of projects from the additional fund made available to it," the Union Minister said. Making the special mention in the House, Wansuk said that the Meghalaya Industrial Development Corporation had already prepared a detailed project report for four border haats in the State expecting timely clearance from the Centre. Two border haats were set up in 2012 on Meghalaya-Bangladesh border - Kalaichar (India)-Baliamari (Bangladesh) and Dalora (Bangladesh)-Balat (India). During the UPA regime it was announced that the state will have four more border haats - two in East Khasi Hills and one each in West Khasi Hills and South Garo Hills. According to a Union Home Ministry report, India is keen to set up as many as 70 border markets near Bangladesh border. ?The Shillong Times