Arunachal Pradesh Forms Committees to Address Infiltration and Indigenous Rights

Formation of High-Powered Committees

Itanagar, Jun 5: The government of Arunachal Pradesh has established four high-powered committees aimed at tackling issues related to infiltration, enhancing the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system, re-verifying Scheduled Tribe (ST) certificates, and safeguarding the rights of indigenous communities.

Chief Minister Pema Khandu announced on Friday that these committees were created following resolutions from consultative meetings held on May 27 and May 29, which he chaired, focusing on matters concerning indigenous tribal rights, the ILP framework, and other related issues.

According to Khandu's social media update, the committees include representatives from various organizations such as the AITF, AAPSU, and the Arunachal ST Bachao Andolan Committee, along with legal experts, scholars, and government officials, ensuring a comprehensive and inclusive approach to these critical issues.

In response to concerns regarding infiltration and illegal immigration, a high-powered committee led by Environment and Forests Minister Wangki Lowang has also been formed. This committee is tasked with investigating the extent of infiltration and immigration in the state and recommending measures for enhanced border control, digital verification systems, and actions against forged identity documents and undocumented settlements.

The committee is also responsible for suggesting administrative and legal strategies to combat illegal immigration and reinforce existing protections within the constitutional and legal framework.

To bolster the Inner Line Permit system, another committee has been established under Agriculture and Horticulture Minister Gabriel D Wangsu. This committee will review the current processes for issuing, monitoring, and verifying ILPs, assess the 2026 ILP guidelines, and propose restructuring measures to enhance the system.

Additionally, it will recommend technology-driven solutions for ILP issuance and monitoring, develop a robust verification process, and suggest appropriate categories for issuing permits to tourists, visitors, and workers.

A separate panel led by Education Minister Pasang Dorjee Sona has been tasked with examining the re-verification of Arunachal Pradesh Scheduled Tribe (APST) certificates and related issues. This committee will evaluate the current system for issuing, monitoring, and verifying APST certificates, including the guidelines established in 2022.

It will propose a comprehensive methodology for APST verification, recommend amendments to existing guidelines, and suggest advanced security features, digital and biometric verification systems, as well as village and district-level verification processes.

The committee will also recommend legal and administrative actions against forged or illegally obtained APST certificates and fraudulent claims of tribal status.

Another committee, chaired by Law Minister Kento Jini, has been formed to address issues related to non-APST lineage claims, the protection of indigenous rights, and associated matters. This panel will analyze the current systems governing the acquisition and protection of tribal rights, identify loopholes that facilitate misuse or indirect acquisition of such rights, and recommend legal and administrative safeguards concerning tribal identity, inheritance, lineage verification, and the protection of indigenous land and reservation benefits.

It will also propose measures to prevent the misuse of tribal protections through manipulated documentation or indirect claims and recommend legal actions against illegally acquired tribal rights.

According to government orders, all four committees have the authority to request reports, data, and status updates from various departments and district administrations, and they are expected to submit their recommendations within six months of their initial meetings.