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01/01/2011: "Now, only Pak & China nationals need special permits to visit NE TNN, Jan 1, 2011, 04.01am IST"

Now, only Pak & China nationals need special permits to visit NE TNN, Jan 1, 2011, 04.01am IST

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NEW DELHI: Foreigners, excluding Pakistani and Chinese, visiting India on valid visa will not have to take special permit to travel to Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland from January 1 as government has scrapped the provision to boost tourism in these northeastern states, beginning New Year. The relief, however, won't be applicable to foreigners who would like to go to Arunachal Pradesh. Even in the three exempted states, the relief will initially be for one year.

"The government has decided to exclude Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland from the Protected Area regime notified under the Foreigners (Protected Areas) Order 1958, initially for a period of one year," a MHA statement said. However, all foreigners visiting these states will have to register themselves with Foreigners Registration Officer (FRO) of the district they visit within 24 hours of their arrival.

The restriction was in force since pre-independence days. Now, Arunachal Pradesh is the only state left in the north-east where foreigners are required to take prior permission before any visit. Citizens of some specified countries, including Pakistan and China, would, however, continue to require prior approval of the MHA before their visit to these three states.










Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland Excluded from Protected Area for Foreigners

Government of India Press release IST
Government has now decided to exclude the entire area of the States of Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland from the Protected Area regime notifiedunder the Foreigners (Protected Areas) Order 1958, initially for a period of one year. However, all foreigners visiting these States will have to register themselves with the Foreigners Registration Officer (FRO) of the District they visit within 24 hours of their arrival. Citizens of some specified countries would, however, continue to require prior approval of the Ministry of Home Affairs before their visit to these three States.

Indian Missions/Posts have also been authorized to issue ‘Missionary Visa’ to foreign Missionaries visiting these three States as per the extant guidelines of the Government. These changes will ease the difficulties being faced by foreigners to visit these three States.
These instructions would come into force with effect from 1st of January, 2011.
Foreigners no longer need permit to visit 3 N-E states
A day after opening up visa-on-arrival scheme for four more countries, the government on Friday decided to allow foreigners to visit Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland without the need of obtaining a Protected Area Permit as required now.
A Home Ministry statement said the government had decided to exclude the entire area of these three states from the Protected Area regime, notified under the Foreigners (Protected Areas) Order, 1958 for a period of one year from January 1, 2011.
As of now, foreigners require a protected area permit to visit some parts of these states — as also some other areas in Jammu and Kashmir, Arunachal Pradesh and Andaman and Nicobar Islands — that are considered to be sensitive in nature from the country’s security point of view. Even Indian citizens are required to take Inner Line Permits to visit some of these areas.
N-E all set to turn a new leaf of peace in 2011 Manan Kumar Express News Service
NEW DELHI: The troubled North-East seems all set to turn a new leaf - of peace - in the New Year. To begin with, the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (anti-talks faction) has given a unilateral offer to cease all hostilities for the next six months.
Headed by jailed leader Ranjan Daimary, the group has lately been responsible for the spate of killings of non-Assamese people living in Assam.
Sources said that the unilateral offer is the result of the huge pressure mounted by the security forces on the dwindling NDFB cadre. Topping it is the conducive atmosphere for peace talks with the Ulfa which are slated to begin any time in January.
Sources said that about 30 middle-rung leaders of the Ulfa are expected to surrender in early January to pave the way for lasting peace in Assam and with Anup Chetia expected to join the peace talks, commander in-chief Paresh Baruah, currently hiding in north Myanmar, would be relegated to oblivion.
There are growing signs of coming around from the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) also. The rebel group is on the backfoot after the expose of one of its top leaders Antony Shimrey hobnobbing with China by giving top secret information of strategic deployments in the North-East and ordering armaments worth `31 crore from a Chinese arms manufacturer.
With pressure being mounted on the NSCN(IM), its co-founder and chairman Isak Chisi Swu is also slated to come back to India soon with his family. As there is growing feeling that Thuingaleng Muivah does not belong to Nagaland and the NSCN (IM) getting exposed, the rebel group is likely to come around for settling the issue with the Government of India in near future.
Buoyed up by the developments, India has decided to open up Mizoram, Manipur and Nagaland for foreigners to visit without any permit that was a prerequisite so far. The move, government expects, will open up the tourism potential of these states thus helping locals to rejuvenate their economy.