Imphal, November 14: For Manipur to really reap the benefits of India's Look East policy, industrialisation of the State is necessary.

Sharing his thoughts while talking to The Sangai Express today, Associate Professor of Economics in Manipur University, Ch Priyoranjan said that industrialisation of the State is necessary if Manipur is to actually tap the benefits from the Look East policy of the Government of India.

Explaining his views, the Associate Prof said that Myanmar produces a huge quantity of mustard seeds and lentils.

To tap the benefits of these items, Manipur will need plants to extract mustard oil as well as to process the lentils.

This in effect will mean that Manipur can meet her own demands of lentils as well as mustard oil and also supply the output to other parts of the country.

The benefits will also flow to Myanmar as its farmers will find a ready market in Manipur, he observed.

Ch Priyoranjan is a member of the Joint Study Group headed by Chief Secretary Jarnail Singh which has been constituted to study why the formal border trade between India and Myanmar has been on a down swing.

The observations of the MU Prof came even as the official border trade has been on a downward trend while the unofficial trade has seen an upswing.

Priyoranjan further said that though the border trade was opened in 1995 and covers 22 items, the official trade has been dying slowly over the years, while the unofficial trade has been flourishing.

Increasing the number of trade items is one step that can be taken up to counter this trend, he observed.

Noting that there is a big demand for cycles in Myanmar, Priyoranjan said that if the needed industries are set up in Manipur, the product, cycles, can be exported to Myanmar and given the distance it will be cost effective.

The extended benefits will be the fillip given to the transport segments while exporting the cycles, he added.

Furniture industries specialising in teak work can also give immense benefits to Manipur, he observed.

Observing that majority of the traders involved in the border trade are from outside the State, the Associate Professor of Economics said that the Govt ought to facilitate certain programmes to encourage the involvement of local people.

Though the Union MoS for Commerce and Industries, Jairam Ramesh in his recent visit to the border town had assured that there would be henceforth no restrictions on the number of trade items the Centre has not taken a definite decision in this matter.

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