Question : NEW CROSS BORDER TRADE CENTRES

(a) whether the Government proposes to open new cross border trade centres as published in `Rashtriya Sahara` dated September 04, 2006;

(b) if so, the extent to which it has been proposed to open up trade centres;

(c) whether the Government proposes to spend the amount on development of such centres;

(d) the total number of cross border countries with whom it has been proposed to open up new trade centres;

(e) whether a time limit has been fixed to spend the amount on these trade centres; and

(f) if so, the details thereof?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY(SHRI JAIRAM RAMESH)

(a)to(f) : Trade with the neighboring countries through land route is regulated by Land Customs Stations located at the border. Several projects have been taken up to upgrade the infrastructure available at these Land Customs Stations.The Government has identified 13 Land Customs Stations -7 along Indo-Bangladesh border, 4 along the Indo-Nepal border, one along Indo-Pakistan border and one along Indo-Myanmar border- for upgradation in a phased manner.