Meghalaya govt to meet all stakeholders on NPR implementation

Meghalaya government today said it would hold consultation with all stakeholders including pressure groups and church leaders next week to sensitise the people on the importance of National Population Register and capture of Biometrics for all genuine citizens.
The meeting would be held on February 11 at the state central library premises here, Deputy Commissioner and district NPR registrar Sanjay Goyal told PTI.
He said all the NGOs and pressure groups, members socio-cultural, religions and other bodies and members of the public have been invited for the meeting.
Last year, the move for enrolment in the NPR was put on hold after the influential Khasi Students Union (KSU) stopped the government NPR camps in Shillong demanding consultation with local authorities and traditional bodies.

The KSU has been objecting to implementation of the NPR demanding amendment of certain provisions of it as the state shares borders with Bangladesh and Assam and there are possibilities that people from outside might manage to register themselves and get permanent Indian citizenship.
Enrolment of a certain percentage of the population in areas within Shillong Municipality has been completed where the state government had conducted camps last year, Census Operations and NPR Principal secretary Peter Ingty said.
He said those which have been completed in the enrolment will stay the same. The awareness drive will begin from the state capital and East Khasi Hills before moving to other parts of the state.