North East has great export potential, says Meghalaya CM

Shillong, Feb 2 (PTI) Land-locked North East holds export potential bigger than that of Bangladesh, Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said today. "I believe that export potentials of the NE combined together is bigger than that of Bangladesh," Sangma said while addressing a Golden Jubilee celebration of the Customs Act, 1962 at the All Saints Hall here. "If Bangladesh has an export potential of USD 20 million in a year, we can surpass this value if all states are opened to their individual potentials with their respective neighbours," he said. The region, which shares 98 per cent of its boundary with neighbouring countries (1640 km Indo-Myanmar border, 1500 km Indo-Bangladesh border, 1000 km Indo-China border and 1100 km Indo-Bhutan border) and two per cent with rest of the country, is like a bird in a cage, Sangma said. "If closed, like a bird, the NE has to depend on feeds from the Centre," he said adding that, he was optimistic that Delhi is opening up the land-locked NE states to its neighbours. "We see Silver lining today. I have impressed upon our leaders in Delhi on the importance of seeing our neighbours as partners in trade and commerce," he said. The Meghalaya Chief Minister also sought intervention of the Customs and Excise officials to identify trade potentials of each individual states in the NE with their neighbouring countries. "There are many areas that can be identified by your office where there are possibilities to increase trade with neighbouring countries," he said.