By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Chief Minister Dr. Mukul Sangma has stressed that the National Population Register (NPR) would prove to be a useful instrument to keep a tab on infiltration in the long term.
“This exercise will eventually lead to compilation of the national register of Indian citizens. Therefore, the entire process would be subject to rigorous checking and verification, in consultation with the local institutions,” the Chief Minister said during the Independence Day celebration at Polo Grounds here on Thursday.
The Chief Minister also sought to differ from the opinion of the NGOs who have been clamouring for implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in the State to tackle influx.
“We need to take advantage of this exercise given its long term advantages and we seek to take all stakeholders on board for this,” the Chief Minister said, adding that the State Government is contemplating other legislative measures to tackle the issue of influx.
Speaking on the mechanisms adopted by the Government to tackle influx, Dr Sangma said that an Anti-Infiltration Directorate headed by an Additional DGP level officer has already been set up and 114 additional posts have been sanctioned to strengthen the anti-infiltration network.
He also mentioned that district task forces have been constituted headed by the deputy commissioners, under whom special squads have been formed led by a magistrate to carry out anti-infiltration drives regularly and systematically in the infiltration-susceptible areas of the district.
“The Labour department has been carrying out the exercise of registration of migrant workers and for this purpose, additional manpower has been provided to them,” he added.
While the government is initiating the process of engaging and educating the people about NPR, the NGOs on the other hand have stated that they are still not convinced with the proposal of accepting the biometric enrolment.
Recently, a meeting on the biometric enrolment for the National Population Register (NPR) held between East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner Sanjay Goyal and the various NGOs remained inconclusive.
The meeting was intended to reach a common ground so as to restart the enrolment required for issuing the UIN (Unique Identification Number) or the Aadhar card.
The State Government was forced to put on hold the enrolment drive after the KSU intervened, saying that people should be educated about the new system before its implementation in the State.