CM credits 'defenders' of integrity for FMR scrap
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, February 08 2024: While welcoming and hailing the announcement made by Union home minister Amit Shah that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has decided to scrap the Free Movement Regime (FMR) and construct border fencing, chief minister N Biren gave credit for the centre's decision to the martyrs and sacrifices they made to defend the integrity of Manipur.

Addressing a press conference in the presence of ruling MLAs at his secretariat office here on Thursday, chief minister N Biren said that apart from development agenda, the most important goal of the government is to keep the state and its people safe and secure, which the BJP government has been prioritising since it came to power in 2017.Construction of border fencing (398 km), enhancing border security, scrapping of FMR, War on Drugs to address the increasing menace of substance abuse and drug trades, implementation of Inner Line Permit System, identification of illegal im migrants, and proposal to set up a population commission to check influx of illegal immigrants and unnatural population growths in some parts of the state are among the key decisions adopted by the government, he said.

Recounting that some days back, Amit Shah shared on X about the Centre's plan to construct border fencing along the 1648 km long international boundary shared with Myanmar, he said construction of border fencing with Hybrid Surveillance System (HSS) has already begun in some parts of the state.

The HSS is a sophisticated fence system which can detect movements in the perimeter of the fenced areas.

Moreover, construction of a 20-km long border fence in most vulnerable areas of the state will also commence soon, he informed.

With regard to the statement shared by Amit Shah on X, CM Biren said that the union home minister cited internal security and demographic structure while announcing the decision to scrap FMR, thereby implying that the union home minister is closely monitoring the situation in the NE states and the decision was taken keeping in view of the current issue in the state.

He further said that the state government was unable to set up a population commission, due to absence of approval from the Centre.

However, the commission has been set up now.

Besides, union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, while introducing the interim budget recently, announced the decision to set up a high power population commission to check demographic imbalance and it shows the Centre's understanding of the situation in the state, Biren reasoned while appreciating the move.

He maintained that the key decisions taken by the Central government underscore the real problems the state has been facing and this was made possible by the sacrifices made by people, who have been fighting to uphold the territorial integrity of Manipur and its indigenous population.

The government simply put pressure on the Centre and steer the movement as it is the public movement and their stand that make the Central government take positive steps, the CM expressed while thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for scrapping the FMR and for their commitment to secure the border.

Taking to X, Biren said, Immensely grateful to Hon'ble PM Shri Narendra Modi Ji and Hon'ble HM Shri Amit Shah Ji for their commitment to securing our borders.

The decision to scrap the FMR between India and Myanmar, as recommended by the Minister of Home Affairs, India, is crucial for our internal security and the demographic integrity of our North Eastern States".

"This is yet another historic decision in curbing illegal immigration and strengthening our internal security after the recent announcement to fence the 1,643 km Indo-Myanmar border by Government of India," he added.

Biren further informed the media that an overall review meeting on the issue of illegal poppy cultivation in the hill areas of the state was held earlier in the day in the presence of senior officials of NCB, NAB, forest department, MARSAC, forensic science and district SPs.

While confiding that destruction of illegal poppy cultivation is underway, he said satellite mapping of illegal poppy farms in Churachand pur, Chandel, Tengnoupal and Kangpokpi districts has been carried out and SPs of the district concerned advised to complete destruction of all poppy farms within the current month.

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