The Nagaland government has resolved to appeal to the Centre to exempt the northeastern state from the Protected Area Permit (PAP) regime, a minister announced on Tuesday.
At a cabinet meeting held on Monday at the chief minister’s residential complex, the decision was made to request the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to lift the Protected Area Permit (PAP) regulations in Nagaland, State Environment Minister C. L. John said.
Foreign nationals are required to obtain a Protected Area Permit to visit certain parts of India, including sections of the northeastern region.
"During the cabinet meeting, extensive discussions were held regarding the PAP regime. The council of ministers noted that the state successfully hosted the Hornbill Festival from 1 to 10 December last year, with over 2,000 foreign visitors attending the event. The cabinet has therefore decided to appeal to the Centre to abolish the PAP system in Nagaland," the state minister said.
A total of 205,968 visitors, including 2,527 foreign nationals, visited the Naga Heritage Village in Kisama, located approximately 12 kilometres south of the state capital, for the Hornbill Festival.
The PAP, initially introduced in the 1960s as a security measure due to the region’s sensitive nature and geopolitical concerns, was repealed in December 2021. This allowed foreigners easier access to Nagaland and other northeastern states without requiring such permits.
However, after three years of being lifted, the Ministry of Home Affairs reinstated the PAP regime in Nagaland, Manipur, and Mizoram in December last year.
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