In the course of his meeting with Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling raised the issue of the need to expand the list of tradable items along the Indo-China border at Nathu La. Bilateral trade through Nathu La in 2006 saw business worth about Rs 200 crore, with the volume of trade going up to Rs 206 crore last year. Currently, India can import 15 items from China including silk, yak pelts and horses, and export 29 goods that include textiles, tea, rice, vegetables and herbs. Chamling also called for better road and air connectivity to the hill state in his meeting with Patil. While the chief minister expressed satisfaction at the approval granted by the Centre for a new two-laned National Highway to the state capital of Gangtok, he also asked for an upgradation of the existing NH-31A — the ‘economic lifeline’ of the state — which remains closed for long periods in the year not only because of heavy rains and landslides but also due to the ‘bandh calls’ enforced from time to time in the West Bengal portion of the state. In addition, Chamling asked that a 10-seater twin-engine helicopter service be provided to Gangtok until the Greenfield airport at Pakyong is commissioned in 2011. Chamling also reminded the Home Minister of the long-pending proposal to allow electoral reservation to the Limboo and Tamang communities which are under the Scheduled Tribes (ST) category.
