India, Myanmar sign MoU for bus service
BUS service between India and Myanmar will commence from April this year under a memorandum of understanding signed between the concerned authorities of the two neighbouring nations. Chief Minister N Biren Singh gave the information in the state legislative assembly while replying to a question by Opposition Congress MLA Surjakumar Okram on development projects undertaken in the State under the Act East Policy. The MoU was signed between Shwe Mandalar Express Company Limited, Yangoon, and Seven Sisters Holiday, Imphal, on February 14 for the commencement of the bus service. The Ministry of Civil Aviation has included the Imphal-Mandalay sector under the UDAN scheme. The process of selection of the operator for the sector through bidding is likely to be finalised by March, he added. Biren Singh said that under the Act East Policy, an integrated check post was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 4, 2019 in Moreh town. It is now fully operational. India and Myanmar have agreed to open nine border haats to facilitate the free exchange of locally available commodities and services. Two border haats in Manipur will be set up at Khin Man Behiang (Churachandpur district) and Khampat New Saomtal (Chandel district). Two border haats are also proposed to be opened at New Tusom, Ukhrul district, and Hume Thana/Konkanthana at Kamjong district.An agreement on land border crossing with Myanmar was signed on August 8, 2018 to mark the commencement of movement of people across the two countries. Major business summits and workshops have been conducted both in Myanmar and India and Football matches between women’s teams of the two countries were also held. Incidentally, India shares 1643 km long border with Myanmar in four north-eastern states — Arunachal (520 km), Nagaland (215 km), Manipur (398 km) and Mizoram (510 km) with Myanmar’s Sagaing Region and Chin State. (map courtesy to Northeast Now)
