Inner Line Permit biggest gift to people of Manipur

The ILP –  Inner Line Permit, is an official travel document issued by the concerned state government to allow travel of an Indian citizen into a protected area for a limited period. It is obligatory for the citizens from outside those states to obtain a permit for entering into the protected state. 

• The objective behind this is to prevent settlement of other Indian nationals in ILP states so as to protect the indigenous population and their access to land, jobs, and other facilities. 
• Besides Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, and Nagaland also come under the Inner Line Permit system.
• The concept originates from the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation Act (BEFR), 1873.
• For decades, the indigenous people of Manipur had demanded the ILP. Its extension to Manipur implies the exemption of the state from the purview of Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
• In Manipur, large scale protests have called for its implementation for years. Under the ILP system, a certificate can be issued to outsiders only for travel in the areas covered by ILP. 
• A non-resident also cannot buy property in these areas. Long term residence however, is allowed under certain kinds of ILP. Such provisions though are not valid for Central government employees and security personnel. 
• The other concept is Protected Areas Permit. Under the Foreigners (Protected Areas) Order, 1958, all areas falling between the ‘Inner line’, as defined in the said order, and the International Border of the State have been declared as a Protected Area.
• Every foreigner, except a citizen of Bhutan, who desires to enter and stay in a Protected or Restricted Area, is required to obtain a special permit from a competent authority delegated with powers to issue such a special permit to a foreigner, on application.
• Recently, Jammu and Kashmir government has relaxed the Protected Area Permit (PAP) regime to enable foreigners to visit restricted areas in Leh district of Ladakh, a decision which is expected to increase the footfall of tourists and give considerable boost to the local economy.
• It will create a positive impact on the life and livelihood of the people residing in these remote areas.
• Although the ILP is not the complete solution or mechanism to control the influx of immigrants, yet it is considered as a tool to at least tackle the issue.