New Delhi : To address the issue of “illegal immigration” into India, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh took to Twitter on July 30 to announce the initiation of a drive to capture biometric data of the illegal migrants who are currently being detained in Manipur. 
The Chief said  “Considering the seriousness of the issue of ‘illegal immigration’ into India & under the advice of the Central Government, the Manipur Govt. has initiated the drive to capture biometric data of the illegal migrants who are currently being detained in Manipur.

The primary objective behind this exercise is to ensure that foreign nationals do not obtain Indian citizenship through any unfair means. The large-scale influx of illegal migrants poses a serious threat to national security, and the Manipur Government is determined to deal with the issue tactfully.

The campaign for biometric capture of illegal Myanmar immigrants officially began on July 29. Ahead of the commencement, the Manipur Home Department wrote to the Superintendent of Police of all districts in the state, providing necessary instructions and guidelines.

According to Peter Salam, Joint Secretary (Home), the initiative is in response to a directive from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). The MHA’s letter (No. 25022/102/2018-F. I, dated 29.05.2023) mandated the completion of the biometric data capture campaign by the end of September 2023.

To ensure successful implementation, a training cum handholding program was conducted by the Home Department on July 26, 2023, for all District Collectors (DCs) and Superintendents of Police (SPs) involved in the biometric capture process.

Salam emphasized that the Superintendents of Police of the districts are requested to initiate the campaign immediately, aiming for timely completion by September 2023. The assistance and guidance of a National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) team, deputed by the MHA for training and handholding, will be available during the biometric capture exercise at the Foreigners’ Detention Centre in Sajiwa, Imphal, East district, on July 29, 2023, from 10:00 AM onwards.

Moreover, districts requiring additional training and handholding are encouraged to depute their concerned officers to observe the biometric capturing process at the Foreigners’ Detention Centre.