Jagraon firm bags ‘best importers’ award for trade
Jagraon-based Ganpati International has bagged the 'best importers' award for trade with Pakistan through the integrated check post (ICP) at the Attari-Wagah border here, for which the company gave the credit to different government departments which had made available best facilities at the ICP and created a conducive atmosphere for bilateral trade.
Jagraon-based Ganpati International has bagged the 'best importers' award for trade with Pakistan through the integrated check post (ICP) at the Attari-Wagah border here, for which the company gave the credit to different government departments which had made available best facilities at the ICP and created a conducive atmosphere for bilateral trade.
The award was presented to the firm's proprietors Kumar Gaurav Gupta and Rajesh Singla and their customs house agent Ajay Gupta at the ICP by customs commissioner KK Sharma during the celebrations of the first anniversary of the ICP last Saturday.
Land Port Authority chairman YS Sherawat also attended these celebrations during which the 'best exporter' award went to Ruchi Soya, a Madhya Pradesh-based firm dealing in food items.
An elated Gaurav Gupta told Hindustan Times on Monday that besides the facilities at the ICP, official of the customs, central warehousing corporation (CWC) and other departments had been very cooperative with the traders. Though a few matters needed to be resolved, still the facilities at the ICP were among the best available for importers and exporters, he added.
Problems of traders
Listing out the problems they faced, Gupta said that the truckers issue needed to be sorted out. It was learnt that the charges for ferrying a truckload of goods from Attari to Amritsar, a distance of only 20 km, were Rs 26 per quintal, he added while pointing out that the contentious issue could be resolved by the state government or the district administration.
Gupta also favoured the setting up of a 'traders park' on both sides of the Zero Line, where businessmen of both countries could meet frequently or in emergencies and sort out problems. He also wanted that Pakistan also needed to create the best facilities for trade on their side of the ICP.
Gupta said that he would also give credit for the award to the Pakistani businessmen with whom his firm traded with. He pointed out that the level of cooperation between them was such that at times they sent items across the border without even asking for payments.
Ganpati International mainly imports cement, sugar and clinker from Pakistan. At times, even dry fruit and floating glass is imported by the firm.