📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / GeoEvan (www.polgeonow.com)
Politics
Nagaland Assembly Calls for End of Protected Area Permit Regime
✍️ Hindustan Times
🗓 03 Sep 2026, 11:03 PM
👁 3
The Nagaland Legislative Assembly has passed a resolution urging the Union government to scrap the Protected Area Permit (PAP) system that restricts entry to certain parts of the state.
The Nagaland Legislative Assembly adopted a formal resolution demanding that the central government withdraw the Protected Area Permit (PAP) regime. Lawmakers argued that the permit system, which requires outsiders to obtain clearance before entering designated zones, hampers tourism, trade and cultural exchange.
The PAP framework, in place since the 1950s, was originally introduced for security and administrative reasons, limiting access to areas deemed sensitive. Over the years, critics have contended that the rule is outdated and restricts the economic potential of the state.
Assembly members urged the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to review and repeal the policy, emphasizing that Nagaland should have the autonomy to manage its own internal borders. The resolution now awaits a response from the Centre, with officials yet to comment publicly on the demand.
The PAP framework, in place since the 1950s, was originally introduced for security and administrative reasons, limiting access to areas deemed sensitive. Over the years, critics have contended that the rule is outdated and restricts the economic potential of the state.
Assembly members urged the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to review and repeal the policy, emphasizing that Nagaland should have the autonomy to manage its own internal borders. The resolution now awaits a response from the Centre, with officials yet to comment publicly on the demand.