• Manipur: Centre extends deadline for collecting biometrics of illegal migrants

    North East
    Manipur: Centre extends deadline for collecting biometrics of illegal migrants

    The ministry asked the Manipur government to complete the exercise by the end of September...


    Digital Desk: The Centre has delayed the collection of biographic and biometric data regarding illegal migrants in Manipur till March 31, 2024, as the present procedure is unlikely to be completed by the end of September as envisaged. 


    The Union Ministry of Home Affairs stated in a message to the Manipur administration that on May 29, 2023, it requested the state to rapidly establish a strategy and begin biometric collecting of illegal migrants. 


    Because the ministry asked the Manipur government to complete the exercise by the end of September, it was expected that the procedure would be completed by September 30.


    The MHA has been notified, however, that the exercise is still ongoing and may take some time to complete. The MHA evaluated the issue and agreed to prolong the time period until March 31, 2024, according to the statement. 







    "Accordingly, the state government of Manipur is requested to take appropriate necessary action to complete the exercise within the revised time period i.e. up to March 31, 2024," it said. 


    The Manipur government announced in July that it had resumed the process of collecting biometric information from recognised illegal immigrants in the state. 


    The state government has identified approximately 2,500 illegal immigrants in the state, the majority of them are currently in the Tengnoupal and Chandel districts, which border Myanmar.  


    "In total, 104 inmates are in the Foreigners Detention Centre, 60 in Sajiwa jail, and 70 in Imphal jail," state government Joint Secretary (Home) Peter Salam stated. There were 104 unlawful Myanmarese convicts, according to sources, comprising 74 men, 24 women, and six minors. 


    According to the Manipur government, at least 718 Myanmar people, including 301 children, have entered the northeastern state illegally. 


    In accordance with the Home Department statement made in July, the unlawful infiltration was detected on July 22 and 23 in Chandel district by Assam Rifles, the India-Myanmar border guarding force. 


    Manipur and Myanmar share a 398-kilometer-long porous border. Chins, who share ethnic relations with Manipur's Kukis, live on the Myanmar side.