Aizawl: The Mizoram government is set to begin collecting biometric details of over 33,000 Myanmar refugees sheltering in the state, a home department official disclosed on May 25. This development follows Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s assurance to Chief Minister Lalduhoma during a recent meeting in New Delhi that the Centre had refined the portal for this purpose.
The official, speaking anonymously, shared that an online demonstration of the portal had recently taken place and was awaiting approval from the Home Ministry. “Once the MHA gives its approval for format and credentials, we will begin biometric enrollment,” the official stated. The delay in this exercise was primarily due to the unsuitability of the previous MHA-provided format, which was designed more for deporting illegal immigrants and lacked the necessary provisions for displaced individuals seeking humanitarian aid.
The earlier format, according to the official, demanded mandatory credentials that refugees could not furnish. There are currently 33,023 displaced individuals from Myanmar, including 12,361 children, taking refuge in Mizoram. These refugees, predominantly from the Chin community of Chin state, share ethnic ties with the Mizos and sought shelter in Mizoram following the military takeover in their home country in February 2021.
In April 2023, the MHA had directed both Mizoram and Manipur, states bordering Myanmar, to capture biometric and biographic details of “illegal immigrants.” Subsequently, in June, the Centre set a September 2023 deadline for this exercise. While the Mizoram government initially prepared for the initiative, the Council of Ministers decided in September 2023 against undertaking the enrollment due to the impending state assembly polls in November. The deadline for biometric collection was later extended to December 31, 2024. The Mizoram government had consistently delayed the process, citing the inappropriate format and seeking its rectification from the MHA. Mizoram shares a 510-km-long border with Myanmar’s Chin state.
Meanwhile, an official from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) confirmed that during the meeting between Lalduhoma and Shah on Friday, the Union Home Minister agreed to reimburse over Rs 5.23 crore to the Assam Rifles. This amount represents the depreciated cost for buildings and infrastructure vacated by the paramilitary force in Aizawl. Shah had attended the relocation ceremony of Assam Rifles establishments to Zokhawsang, approximately 15 km east of the state capital, on March 15. The Home Minister also assured Lalduhoma of swift action to expedite the transfer of Lengpui airport’s management to the Airports Authority of India (AAI). Furthermore, Shah pledged to explore avenues to support Mizoram’s flagship ‘Bana Kaih’ (Handholding Scheme) through peace-related initiatives, termed as a ‘peace dividend.’ The leaders also discussed matters concerning the raising of the Mizo Territorial Army and the Mizoram Maintenance of Household Registers Bill, 2019, which was passed by the state assembly in March 2019 and is currently awaiting the President’s approval.
Read More: Manipal Hospitals Unlocks Specialised OPD Services in Aizawl, Boosting North-East Healthcare Access