LSU submits research document to Chief Minister on reform recommendations for implementation
DIMAPUR, JULY 20 (MExN): The Lotha Students Union (LSU) on Thursday urged the Nagaland Chief Minister to implement reforms in the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system which at present is being “carelessly enforced with numerous loopholes enabling illegal immigrants to take advantage of the deficient system and enter the state illegally.”
In a representation which was submitted to the Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, the LSU urged the Government to promptly initiate reforms in the existing Inner Line Permit (ILP) system with a vision to effectively regulate and monitor the influx of immigrants into Nagaland, standardize the ILP regulation guidelines, enforce stricter procedure to detect suspected illegal immigrants, improve ease of ILP application and renewal for tourists and investors, streamline ILP revenue collection process to ensure transparency and accountability and maintain proper and accurate records through a secure online database system.
The LSU also submitted a document containing "Reform Recommendations" with two types of reforms (Regulatory and IT) to the Government for implementation.
In the document, it suggested the Government to enact fresh ILP guidelines for Nagaland State, similar to Guidelines for the Enforcement of the Inner Line Regulation in Mizoram (2006), with special emphasis on stringent scrutiny of applicants from “certain illegal Bangladeshi immigrants infested districts of Assam such as Karimganj, Hailakandi, Nagaon, Cachar etc.”
It also asked the Government to improvise the new ILP system with the latest open source technology to empower administration and police for effectively regulating and monitoring all immigration activity in the State and integrate with Crime & Criminal Tracking Network & Systems (CCTNS) to enable the administration and police to check criminal record history of ILP applicants and guarantors.
Create online ILP portal with online form for ease of application for tourists without any physical touch points and provide reporting dashboard to CMO, Home Department, Police and Administration to monitor the ILP applications and analyze the immigration patterns into the State.
Mandate the online system for validating all ILP’s from the secure Government server to eliminate corruption through forgery, manipulation of paper permits and records. Create a separate ILP/Immigration cell within the Home department to effectively regulate and monitor all ILP related issues in the State.
In addition to the reform recommendations submitted to the Government, the LSU said it discussed at length with the Chief Minister in the presence of Y Patton, the Deputy Chief Minister of Nagaland, Mmhonlumo Kikon, MLA and Advisor to the Government of Nagaland and Viketol Sakhrie, Advisor to the Chief Minister and deliberated on the need for creating mass awareness, skill and capacity building measures for Naga youths which will empower them to take up jobs, businesses and minimize dependency on outsiders.
The LSU also highlighted that a controlled environment is necessary for the indigenous population to gradually adapt to trade and commerce and compete in the open market to build a thriving & progressive indigenous state.
“Unless stringent policy actions are put in place, the rampant inflow of illegal immigrants poses a grave threat to disrupt the entire socio-economic and political environment in the State,” it pointed out. It has therefore urged the Government to implement the reform recommendations and revamp the deficient ILP system to secure the future of the Nagas.
