Nathula, 20 Oct (IPR): A high level delegation of officials of the State Government headed by Chief Secretary, Shri S.C. Gupta, visited Sherathang Trade Mart on 18th October, 2019.

The Trade Mart is the hub of Indo-China border trade that has been going on since 2007 between India and Tibetan Autonomous Region in China.

The delegation visited the different blocks of the Trade Mart where offices and quarters of the various State and Central Government agencies are located and took stock of the progress of works to complete the three new buildings which are to be allotted to the various agencies.

Utilities such as electricity and water supply to the trade mart was reviewed and work to augment these facilities were inspected in the field. All infrastructure have been developed under the Ministry of Commerce & Industries Scheme for export promotion called ASIDE Assistance to States for Infrastructure Development for Exports.

While addressing the traders, the Chief Secretary emphasized that all the points that were put forward by the traders would be attended to by the Government. He said that the shortcomings in the infrastructure would be addressed expeditiously by the concerned departments and stressed on the traders to maintain ethical trade practices while conducting their trade in line with government rules and regulations.

Local issues like garbage management, infrastructure maintenance, regular payment of utility bills etc, should be sorted out locally and a mechanism for these is to be put in place by the concerned Committee and association.

Additional Chief Secretary, Commerce & Industries, Dr. Thomas Chandy, stated that unlike the trend in lndo-China trade at the national level which favours China, in Nathula, the balance of trade is in favour of India. Hence he said that there is scope for stepping up of the traded items and increase the volume of trade through the border.

He stated that new infrastructure requirements and revision of trade items is being conveyed to the Department of Commerce in the Ministry of Commerce and Industries.

A team of officers from Power Department headed by the Secretary, Shri K.B. Kunwar, and from PHED headed by Secretary, Shri Ranjan Parihar, and Tourism Department headed by Secretary, Shri T.T. Bhutia, were also present to take stock of the services being provided and also to discuss additional projects in the area.

Principal Secretary, DOP & Excise, Shri Tenzing Gelek, and Secretary, IPR, Ms. Namrata Thapa, were also present on the occasion.