Kohima, Apr 22 (PTI) Union Minister L Murugan on Saturday became the first central minister to visit Avangkhu, a village along the India-Myanmar border in Nagaland's Phek district, and announced projects to strengthen infrastructure there.

Speaking at a public interaction programme held at the International Trade Centre in Avangkhu, Murugan, the minister of state for information and broadcasting, recalled the Centre's commitment towards developing the north-east, including the border areas of the region.

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He announced that work for the already-sanctioned two-lane road up to the Avangkhu border will start soon and this will pave the way for the development of border regions, an official release said.

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".

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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.

He said that in the last nine years, financial assistance of around Rs 1,770 lakh 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 statement said.

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 in the day, 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.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)