Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Education RK Ranjan Singh on Saturday inspected the works and activities of Integrated Check Post (ICP) Moreh. He was accompanied by TA and Hills Minister Letpao Haokip.
ICP Moreh is located along the international border between India and Myanmar in Tengnoupal district, Manipur, along the proposed 1360 km long India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway, at a distance of about 110 km from Imphal. It is run and managed by Land Ports Authority of India, Ministry of Home Affairs, department of Border Management.
ICP Moreh is one of the nine ICPs located at different places across country. A meeting was also convened at the ICP Moreh and the minister interacted with the officials from different departments.
"Visited ICP Moreh land port which was build to provide secure, seamless regional trade and people-to-people contact. Reviewed the ongoing work of Trans-Asia Highways Project and other linkages with a view to enhance trade and investment in near future," RK Ranjan said in a Twitter post.
During the meeting, Haokip put up various grievances faced by the residents of border areas. Highlighting the grievances of the people, he said that almost all the people in border areas depend on trade for their livelihoods as there is no industry and factory. The weather and soil in the areas is not suitable for cultivation, he said. He also highlighted the various grievances and obstructions faced by the local people and traders allegedly at the hands of Assam rifles.
Officials from National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways highlighted the works of roads and highways construction taken up by National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL).
An official from NHIDCL said that construction of ASEAN highway at Khongkang area was halted, following a disagreement in land compensation. He said that the matter will be resolved soon. He also assured that construction of the India-Myanmar Friendship bridge will be completed within December 2022.
Senior Immigration officer YK Anand said that immigration department is ready to facilitate the cross border movement under FMR if and when the border gates are open.
Concerning various issues related to border trade, the External Affairs minister said that people from border areas migrated to towns in search of more facilities and this has become one of the major factors of disadvantage in various fields for this country.
To minimise migration of people from border areas to other places, the BJP government under PM Modi is focusing on enhancing infrastructure development in border villages by providing all the basic facilities, he said.
DC Tengnoupal Mannuamching; ADC, Moreh Laishram Bobby Singh; Superintendent LCS-ICP, Moreh SK Gangte; senior immigration officer-ICP, Moreh YK Anand; manager ICP Moreh T. Baite; US/Estt, LPAI HQ SK Robin Gangte; additional SP Tengnoupal Yumnam Premjit and deputy commandant 5AR-Moreh Mahesh Dutt, and officials from different government departments, leaders from different CSOs took part in the programme.
