Eastward Ho! 11th Foundation Day – Integrated Check Post Dawki – Tamabil: A new Dawn

The 11th Foundation Day Program by the Land Port Authority of India (LPAI) on the 21st March 2023 of the Integrated Check Post (ICP) Dawki marks a new beginning for the people of West Jaintia Hills district and its adjoining areas in the northeastern state of Meghalaya. The ICP will be fully operational now with better facilities for bilateral trade between India and Bangladesh as well as movement of passengers across the border to boost tourism, border haat trade etc.

The program started with the speech by Shri Aditya Mishra IPS, Chairman of LPAI and was attended by officials from Customs, BSF, SIB, BDO, MIECC, Meghalaya Police, LPAI and other panelists.

The Chairman explained how the LPAI came into existence 11 years ago and shared the objectives and goals of different land ports of the north east in the next five years.

As someone who has visited many international land borders both in this region and in ASEAN,  I feel the important takeaways of the program was that the land port can be more than a mere port to facilitate trade and immigration but a place where the trade bodies from either side of the border can meet and discuss their trade related issues with the concerned authorities.

The stakeholders in the tourism sector can set up offices and information centres so that tourists from either side are provided with the right facilities and information. This will also encourage the entrepreneurs living in that area to set up kiosk for local food, cafes, and money exchange offices which will in turn generate employment among the people living in the area. The MIECC has been in the forefront in highlighting all trade related issues for the importers and exporters of the region.

I am positive that with the new facility of the ICP in Dawki and improvement in Customs and Immigration facilities and infrastructure like roads, uninterrupted power, improved banking facilities, mobile network connectivity the ICP, Dawki will develop into a hub of trade and commerce and a fine example for the other ICP’s in other parts of the north east region.      

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

BBIN: Bhutan – India and North East: Connectivity – Trade & Investment

 It is a fact that both Bhutan and the north east part of India is connected firstly by emotional bond and then interest and welfare over years of bilateral corporation has flourished even through trying times. Bhutan has always been a special friend and a great neighbour and has a special place in the hearts and minds of the people in Assam and the North east. India always stood with the wishes and aspirations of the Bhutanese people. Both our countries have reached new levels of confidence with the launch of Rupay card and the Bhim app. A section of the Bhutanese youth is also being absorbed in India’s IT sector. The recent start up system of the two countries via structured workshop, National Knowledge Network and the Druk – Ren connection and e-library Project along with knowledge and education sharing agreements has led to newer connections between the people. An India – Bhutan – SAT is to be launched into space shortly. Gelephu, the world’s first mindfulness city in Bhu...
Read more

Eastward Ho! BBIN: Multi model connectivity in the BBIN sub region

  The BBIN (Bhutan, Bangladesh, India and Nepal) multi model initiative in the sub region on connectivity should address the following: ·         Economic integration and transport connectivity initiative to strengthen multi model connection in the BBIN. ·         Motor Vehicle Agreement (MVA) ·         Multi model connectivity protocol ·         Connectivity at Integrated Check Posts ( ICPs) with rail network ·         Land Port Authority of India (LPAI) nodal body under Ministry of Home Affairs that is responsible for maintaining and managing border infrastructure is looking to develop rail connect with three of its ICP viz, Raxaul, Petrapole and Jogbani. At present no ICP is connected by railways. The ICPs are looking at connectivity near waterways including that of Chattogram and Mongla seaport...
Read more