voiceofsikkim.com
December 1, 2015
Cultural extravaganza and jubilant camaraderie marked the closing of the 10th Indo-China Border Trade (2015) at Sherathang, East Sikkim. Shri Arvind Kumar, IAS Principal Secretary of Commerce &Industries Department and his team comprising of Smt. Sherap Shenga-Director(Commerce& Industries), Smt.Ganga Pradhan-Director(DHH), Shri.Ravi Kumar-GM(Temi Tea Estate) alongwith other officials of the Department Of Commerce & Industries attended the closing ceremony organised by the Indo-China Border Traders Welfare Association in the border region.
The Principal Secretary and his team also visited upto Nathula and inspected the department related infrastructure and interacted with the Defence officials manning the border area. Shri.Kumar also inspected the Trade Mart Complex at Sherathang which was inaugurated earlier this year and took stock of the allotment of stalls and the maintenance of the complex. He directed the President and the stakeholders involved with the Trade Mart to oversee the sustentation of the area and to push for maximum trade benefit as this Indo-China Border Trade is an asset to the State and the Nation.
An approximate of 70 Delegates and Traders from The Peoples Republic of China were heartily welcomed by the traders and Delegates from the Indian side. The traders and Delegates from both India and the Peoples Republic of China exchanged felicitations through the offering of silk scarves and token gifts.
The Chief Guest for the closing ceremony, Shri Arvind Kumar welcomed all the Delegates, Traders and stakeholders and thanked them for a successful trade year. He requested all to always abide by the ethics of honest and fair trade and bid adieu to the traders.
The Vote of thanks was proposed by Mr.Rajesh Rai-General Secretary of the Indo-China Border Traders Association and he thanked the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Sikkim for providing entrepreneurial, employment and leadership opportunities for the unemployed youth of Sikkim.
A release from the Commerce & Industries Department informs that the total exports from India to China till the end of October 2015 amounts to Rs.47,35,77,617/- and the imports from China to India till the end of October 2015 amounts to Rs.7,23,93,671/-. The data received till date reveals a massive turnover in both import and export volume. The major items of export from India to China were vegetable oil, rice, processed and canned food, textiles, copper items and the major items of imports from China to India were blankets, readymade garments, carpets and quilts. Except for a few days which were affected by landslides and road blocks, the trade carried on continuously throughout the entire trading season.
