Work on two-lane road till Myanmar border in Nagaland will start soon: Union min Murugan

Union minister L Murugan said that work on the two-lane road from Meluri in Nagaland's Phek district to Avangkhu along the India-Myanmar border will begin soon.

Murugan, who became the first central minister to visit the border village on Saturday, said the road will pave the way for the development of the border areas.

The minister of state for information and broadcasting, during a public interaction programme at the International Trade Centre in Avangkhu, said the Centre is committed to the development of the Northeast, including the border areas in the region. Murugan, also the minister of state for fisheries, veterinary and dairying, expressed hope that the International Trade Centre will witness increased business activities due to ''growing trade volume and better connectivity''.

Dwelling on the piggery development in Nagaland, he said National Livestock Mission has been supporting entrepreneurs of the state and strengthening farm infrastructure and technology, a statement said.

He said in the last nine years, financial assistance of around Rs 17.7 crore has been provided to the state government under the NLM in the piggery sector.

The MoS along with other officials also visited the India-Myanmar border to take stock of the situation there.

Murugan also visited Chesezu village in Phek district where freedom fighter Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose camped during World War II.

The minister also announced that a grant of Rs 14.99 lakh has been allocated to the Phek district administration for an exhibition of children's films.

Later, he also interacted with officials of public relations, fisheries, animal husbandry and dairying departments and units of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting based in Kohima.

The minister will leave for Delhi on Sunday.