Meghalaya CM Meets PM For Bangladesh Trade

Shillong, Sep 15 : Meghalaya Chief minister Mukul Sangma on Tuesday urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to facilitate trade with Bangladesh.

"This would be beneficial for both the countries and would help to reduce illegal activities along the international border," Sangma told over phone from New Delhi.

"I told the prime minister that trading activities should be promoted and infrastructure should be improved in the border ares," he said.

Sangma requested the prime minister to take up on a priority basis the proposed railway connectivity between Jogighopa via Tikrikilla, Ampati, Dalu, Baghmara, Dawki and Badarpur through the southern slope of Meghalaya, which would in turn connect the LCSs to Barak Valley and other North Eastern States including Mizoram, Tripura and Manipur in view of huge economic benefit and expected growth of trade and commerce with Bangladesh.

"The alternative railway line is also a shorter option which had taken up with the railway ministry in 2007," Sangma said.Sangma took up issues relating to various pending projects of the Centre including the expansion of airports in Umroi and Baljek on a priority basis to facilitate landing of bigger aircraft.

"I submitted a proposal to Union finance ministry for State Resource Management Programme to be funded by ADB to support health and education in the state," Sangma said.