SHILLONG, June 2 – A Cabinet sub-committee, constituted to deal with the problem of influx of ‘foreigners’ and ‘outsiders’ into Meghalaya, has recommended the introduction of a 3-tier identity card system to check the menace. Sports and youth affairs minister Paul Lyngdoh, who is the chairman of the cabinet sub-committee on public grievances, today presented the sub-committee’s report, recommending introduction of a three-tier identity card system with 1971 as the ‘cut-off’ year to determine three category of residents – permanent, semi-permanent and temporary.
The sub-committee also recommended the legislation of a ‘non-resident workers bill’ before enactment of an act for the issuance of work permits to the economically migrant labourers working in the hill State. Further, the sub-committee demanded the Central government to extend its multi-purpose national identity card system to Meghalaya. The sub-committee submitted its report today to the PWD and Information Technology Minister, Dr Mukul Sangma, who is also chairman of the full cabinet committee on public grievances.
Briefing newspersons in his office chamber after receiving the report, Sangma said the full committee would examine the recommendations in the current month before forwarding it to the cabinet to take a final decision. Besides two ministers Boldness Nongrum and Billykid Sangma, the sub-committee also consisted of Dryson Kharshiing, MLA and presidents of the Khasi, Jaintia and Garo Students’ Unions.
The issue of influx of ‘foreigners’ and ‘outsiders’ has dogged the students’ organisations and the government alike, ever since the formation of Meghalaya in 1972. The Khasi-Jaintia and Garo tribal communities, being microscopic minorities in the national context, the protection of the fragile demography of the State from the influx of outsiders has always been a case of genuine concern. The State has been witness to several prolonged agitational programmes and even riots on the volatile issue.
Although the culture, economy and land of the indigenous tribal communities of Meghalaya are protected under several special provisions provided in the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution, the State has been bearing the burden of migrants from other parts of the country, besides Nepalese and Bhutanese nationals, Tibetan refugees, and foreigners from Bangladesh. However, with the state government taking up the issue on a priority basis, apprehensions regarding influx of foreigners into the hill state has considerably subsided over the past few years.