Guwahati: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said that the state will continue to put pressure on the Centre to address the issue of illegal immigration into the state, whether through the inner line permit (ILP) or the Meghalaya Residents, Safety and Security Act (MRSSA).
Sangma told reporters that the state government has been “continuously putting pressure on the government to find a way so that we are able to address this issue”.
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He said that the state is concerned about the “overall issue of illegal immigration”, and that it is exploring all possible options, including the ILP and the MRSSA, to address the problem.
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The chief minister also said that the issue of the ILP has an impact on tourism, as it would require visitors to obtain a permit to enter the state.
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However, he stressed that tourism is still a major source of revenue and employment for the state and that the government will continue to promote it.
Sangma said that the ILP is one of the “multiple mechanisms” that the state is considering to address illegal immigration.
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He said that the state has also passed the MRSSA (Amendment) Bill, which was sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) by the governor.
The chief minister said that the state government is “pursuing multiple options and multiple policies” to address the issue of illegal immigration.
He said that the ultimate goal is to “have some kind of a control over illegal immigration that is there and a mechanism in place”.
The ILP is a special permit that is required for people to enter certain areas of northeastern India.