Raphael Warjri

Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar has called for the expansion of Land Customs Stations in Meghalaya to facilitate cross-border trade, generate employment opportunities and accelerate the state’s economic growth.

Dhar was speaking after inaugurating a one-day state-level workshop on “Leveraging FTAs: Outreach Programme”, organised by the Department of Commerce under the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry at Vivanta, Shillong, on Thursday.

The workshop was attended by Kapil Chaudhary, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and C.V. Diengdoh, Secretary of the Commerce Department, Government of Meghalaya, besides entrepreneurs, exporters and other stakeholders.

Addressing the gathering as the chief guest, Dhar highlighted the state government’s focus on strengthening trade infrastructure and expanding market access for local businesses. He stressed that increasing the number of Land Customs Stations would help unlock trade potential, create livelihood avenues and contribute to Meghalaya’s overall economic development.

The workshop also served as a platform to sensitise local entrepreneurs and exporters to the opportunities available under Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and explore avenues for enhancing the state’s participation in domestic and international trade.