New Delhi, Sept. 5 -- A senior Union Home Ministry official on Saturday reviewed issues related to deregulation, delegation of powers under the citizenship and immigration framework, implementation of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, and the progress of various flagship programmes in the Union Territory of Ladakh. The review meeting, chaired by Additional Secretary (Foreigners and UT) Nitesh Vyas from the Ministry of Home Affairs, included the Chief Secretary of UT Ladakh, Ashish Kundra, along with administrative secretaries and senior officials from the UT administration, an official spokesman said.
Discussions covered the progress and implementation of various centrally sponsored schemes and flagship programmes in the region. A detailed review was conducted on the implementation status of Points of Action under deregulation 1.0 and 2.0. Category-wise PAs, their respective numbers, and implementation statuses were discussed with the relevant departments, along with necessary follow-up actions for speedy implementation, the spokesman noted.
The meeting also discussed the regulatory framework governing Protected Areas and Restricted Areas, including the legal provisions under the 2025 framework. It was clarified that domestic tourists do not need an Inner Line Permit; however, permits remain mandatory for notified areas as outlined in the applicable regulations. Discussions were held on defining the geographic scope of protected and restricted areas, including their delineation through separate schedules, protected area boundaries, and relevant descriptions.
The status of restricted areas concerning Tibetan settlements was also reviewed, the spokesperson said, adding that the meeting included discussions on the framework governing the issuance of Protected Area Permits and Restricted Area Permits, as well as visa-related amendments. Follow-up action on the demarcation of the Nubra and Sham regions, as well as the demarcation of Kargil and Changthang regions, was discussed along with the applicable regulatory framework, he said. The review also covered the Immigration and Foreigners Order, 2025, focusing on facilitation, connectivity, and procedures, including the establishment and operation of tourist facilitation centres.
A comprehensive review of the Immigration and Foreigners framework was undertaken, covering the Foreigners Act, the evolution of immigration laws and the subordinate framework under the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025-26. The meeting also discussed the decentralisation of powers under Section 28, including delegation of powers to States and Union Territory Administrations. Various actions required from the UT Administration were reviewed, including the registration of foreigners, monitoring and regulating the movement of foreigners within the UT, enforcing deportation guidelines, and addressing issues related to overstaying foreigners. Additionally, the meeting discussed matters concerning foreigners' registration under Section 6, monitoring their movement in states/UTs, illegal migrants, holding centres, and the deportation manual, as well as a Model Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for withdrawal from prosecution.
The architecture of the District Police Module, objectives and target demographic of the Foreigner Identification Portal (FIP), registration through the e-FRRO portal, and actionable points for Foreigners Registration Officers (FROs) were reviewed, the spokesperson informed. The meeting also reviewed progress regarding the granting of Indian citizenship, which included the legal provisions governing Indian citizenship, relevant sections of the Citizenship Act, and the procedures for granting Indian citizenship, the spokesperson added.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.