The Mizoram Government started the process of collecting biometric details of all illegal Myanmar nationals, official sources said on Sunday.
This comes after an instruction passed by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
As per reports, over 30,000 Myanmar nationals have taken shelter in Mizoram since February 2021 after the Myanmar military staged a coup and threw a democratically elected government in the neighbouring country out of power.
A pilot project of recording biometric data of Myanmar nationals was launched in all the 11 districts last week, a PTI report said quoting David H. Lalthangliana, state home department officer on special duty.
Earlier this week, the Manipur Government recommenced its ambitious drive to capture biometric data of all "illegal" Myanmar immigrants residing within the State. The campaign, initiated following directives from the MHA aims to complete the process by September 2023, as stated in an official release.
In the Imphal East District, a team of officials from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) extended their support to state government officials by facilitating the biometric data capture at the Foreigners' Detention Centre, Sajiwa. The NCRB officials were specifically deputed by the Ministry of Home Affairs to train and assist State Government Officers in this critical endeavor.
According to the release, the campaign will be extended to cover all districts within Manipur until the biometric data of every "illegal" Myanmar immigrant is successfully recorded. The government is steadfast in its pursuit of this goal and aims to ensure full compliance with the set timeline.
The completion of this biometric capture campaign by September is expected to enhance the State's ability to manage immigration matters efficiently and bolster national security efforts.
