Need people’s support in BCIM corridor: MEA official

Seeking people’s support to build Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) economic corridor, a Ministry of External Affairs official today said it is for the benefit of the local populace.

“The corridor is for the benefit of the people who live in the region. We need the support of people in this,” MEA Director (investment and technology promotion division) K Nagaraj Naidu said at the 11th K2K (Kolkata to Kunming) forum here.

Stressing that economic development can be the anchor of peace and development, he said North-Eastern states of India would be at the heart of this process.

The government has already announced that all North-East state capitals will be connected with rail network by 2020.

He said West Bengal has a very large role to play in the corridor because of its size and geographical location.

The state government has already announced that ‘Biswa Bangla’ store, under which the State’s handloom and handicraft products are promoted, would soon be set up at Kunming, Yunnan Province of China.

Expressing willingness to engage with China in the economic sphere, Naidu pointed out that 2015 has been designated as ‘Visit India Year’ in China and 2016 as ‘Visit China Year’ in India. Organised by the Centre for Studies in International Relations and Development, the K2K forum is observing Kunming Week in Kolkata from November 20, under which a delegation from Kunming is touring the city and meeting stakeholders.