Sitharaman asks officials to expedite work of infrastructures along Bangladesh borders to boost connectivity, trade

Agartala: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday asked the officials to expedite the ongoing work of under-construction projects and infrastructures along India-Bangladesh borders to further boost the connectivity and trades.

On the second day of her two-day Tripura visit, the Finance Minister on Saturday visited the Srimantapur Integrated Check Post (ICP) and the land port station in Sonamura under Sepahijala district, and reviewed the progress of work of various under construction projects, including the jetty being constructed on Gomati river, which flows to Bangladesh from Tripura.

“The jetty on Gomati river would further boost the trade between the northeastern states and Bangladesh,” Sitharaman said.

She interacted with the concerned officials on different aspects of ICP, which was built with many improved facilities facilitating a significant number of passenger movement between the two countries and increasing trade.

To facilitate movement of passengers and trade at the Srimantapur ICP Border Security Force, Customs and Land Port Authority of India are working together.

Sitharaman also released a booklet, titled, “Connecting Borders” featuring all functional land customs stations in the northeast region.

The Finance Minister also visited the zero point along the Indo-Bangladesh border where Border Guards Bangladesh greeted her with a bouquet of flowers.

Sitaraman, when she was Minister of State for Commerce had inaugurated the Srimantapur landport station in January, 2016.

Talking about the activities in Srimantapur ICP, Yogendra Garg, Chief Commissioner of Central GST and Central Excise of North East region, said that the on her visit to this ICP, the Union Finance Minister has advised the concerned officials as to how to improve facilities in the station, and she expressed satisfaction over its performance in terms of passenger and trade flow.

Currently, the ICP is witnessing an increasing trend of passenger movement and export-import of commodities.

In 2022-23, this ICP recorded 26,405 passengers coming from Bangladesh whereas the number of outgoing passengers was recorded at 25,582.

The ICP recorded an increasing trend of trade with custom duty collected at Rs 17.85 crore in 2022-23.