ITANAGAR, Nov 27 ? Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran today visited the border areas in Upper Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh to assess the trade potential at the international border there with China and Bhutan, reports PTI.
Saran, who arrived here on a three-day visit yesterday, accompanied by Chief Minister Gegong Apang visited several points, including Gelling bordering China. After a night halt at Yingkion he will visit Tawang tomorrow which borders China and Bhutan, official sources said here.
Upper Siang Deputy Commissioner G Padu said there are two border trade points with China in the district ? Kepangla Pass and Korbe Pass ? which are manned by military personnel. Saran told a high-level meeting here last night that the border trade with neighbouring countries was a priority of the Centre and infrastructure would be developed for it in Arunachal Pradesh, which has a 1600 km long international border with China, Myanmar and Bhutan, the sources said.
He suggested that the state government submit the priority development projects to the Centre for immediate consideration.
India and China had already started exchanging data on the flow of River Brahmaputra as a step towards checking flash floods, he said. Apang said re-opening of border trade could boost the state's economy and it was time to throw open international trade at places like Gelling and Tawang as part of the Centre?s ?Look East Policy?, according to the sources. The migration of people of the border areas to lower regions could be arrested through infrastructure development like road connectivity and promoting health and education sectors, he added.