GANGTOK, April 25 � The Nathula border trade has witnessed a tremendous growth with exports soaring from a mere Rs 8.87 lakh during 2006-07 to Rs 135 lakh in the year ended 2009-10. Simultaneously there has been a steady decline in the imports.
However, one of the major concerns in the border trade has been revision in the list of items of trade for which the Government of Sikkim is aredently pursuing with the Centre and the matter, it is informed, is under active consideration of the Union Government.
The other grey area is the road infrastructure leading to the trade destination mart at Sherathang before Nathula, where under the BADP, broadening of the road is going on but is periodically halted due to vagaries of monsoon and landslides.
Border trade through Nath- ula Pass was formally resumed on July 6, 2006 and closed on September 3, 2007. In the year 2007-2008, the trading period revised the period of trade from May 1 to November 30 every year.
The trade in the last four years were: Export from India to Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR): 2006-07 � Rs 8.87 lakh; 2007-08 � Rs 27.87 lakh; 2008-09 � Rs 95 lakh; 2009-10 � Rs135 lakh.
Import from TAR to India: Rs10.83 lakh; Rs6.88 lakh; Rs1.35 lakh; Rs 2.96 lakh.
For the current year, border trade will resume from May 3 and the trade shall remain open from Monday to Thursday every week, four days in a week from 7.30 am to 3.30 pm Indian time and from 10 am to 6 pm Chinese time.
There has been no change in the trade items and it remains same, i.e., 29 exportable items from India to TAR and 15 items from TAR to India.
Since the term border trade is to be construed as trade opened for the people of the border area only for the items produced in local area of limited value, the Government of India has fixed the currency value limited to Rs 1 lakh per day per trader from 2007-08.
State Commerce and Industries department has already advised the District Collector and District Magistrate (East) for issuance of trade passes to the traders at the earliest to enable the traders to prepare themselves for trading.
Incidentally, the Nathula- Tsomgo road re-opened from Monday, after remaining closed from April 12 due to land slide. Tashi Galay, Joint Director of Tourism department informed that the Border Road Organisation opened the road allowing tourists to go to Nathula, Tsomgo and Baba Mandir.
GANGTOK, April 25 � The Nathula border trade has witnessed a tremendous growth with exports soaring from a mere Rs 8.87 lakh during 2006-07 to Rs 135 lakh in the year ended 2009-10. Simultaneously there has been a steady decline in the imports.
However, one of the major concerns in the border trade has been revision in the list of items of trade for which the Government of Sikkim is aredently pursuing with the Centre and the matter, it is informed, is under active consideration of the Union Government.
The other grey area is the road infrastructure leading to the trade destination mart at Sherathang before Nathula, where under the BADP, broadening of the road is going on but is periodically halted due to vagaries of monsoon and landslides.
Border trade through Nath- ula Pass was formally resumed on July 6, 2006 and closed on September 3, 2007. In the year 2007-2008, the trading period revised the period of trade from May 1 to November 30 every year.
The trade in the last four years were: Export from India to Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR): 2006-07 � Rs 8.87 lakh; 2007-08 � Rs 27.87 lakh; 2008-09 � Rs 95 lakh; 2009-10 � Rs135 lakh.
Import from TAR to India: Rs10.83 lakh; Rs6.88 lakh; Rs1.35 lakh; Rs 2.96 lakh.
For the current year, border trade will resume from May 3 and the trade shall remain open from Monday to Thursday every week, four days in a week from 7.30 am to 3.30 pm Indian time and from 10 am to 6 pm Chinese time.
There has been no change in the trade items and it remains same, i.e., 29 exportable items from India to TAR and 15 items from TAR to India.
Since the term border trade is to be construed as trade opened for the people of the border area only for the items produced in local area of limited value, the Government of India has fixed the currency value limited to Rs 1 lakh per day per trader from 2007-08.
State Commerce and Industries department has already advised the District Collector and District Magistrate (East) for issuance of trade passes to the traders at the earliest to enable the traders to prepare themselves for trading.
Incidentally, the Nathula- Tsomgo road re-opened from Monday, after remaining closed from April 12 due to land slide. Tashi Galay, Joint Director of Tourism department informed that the Border Road Organisation opened the road allowing tourists to go to Nathula, Tsomgo and Baba Mandir.
