NEW DELHI: Nearly two months after implementing stiff conditions under the amended Free Movement Regime (FMR) along the India-Myanmar borders (IMB), the border guarding force Assam Rifles (AR) allowed cross-frontier movements of 7,000 individuals on the basis of their biometric details.
Officials said that the biometric details were linked to the National Data Centre.
It is to be noted here that in February last year, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) unilaterally took a decision to scrap the FMR. However, in December last year, it opted to implement a stricter version of the FMR and directed the governments of Manipur, Mizoram, and Nagaland to enforce the revised system.
Officials in the AR said, cross-border movement “is now regulated through 43 designated entry points, but currently only 22 are operational”, where, after collecting biometric data, addresses, and other credentials from individuals seeking entry, the force issues pass to them.
“Since December last year individuals have been required to present a certificate from their village authorities. After verifying their details, the personnel of the border guarding force capture photographs, record biometric impressions - including fingerprints - and issue passes. We are compiling the data to keep track of who is entering and staying in our areas. If any misconduct occurs, we will have records of their movements,” a senior official said.
Under the new amended regime for civilian movements across borders between the two countries, residents within 10 km of the frontiers on both sides can visit each other using passes issued by the AR, which are valid for seven days.
To obtain the passes, those intending to travel across the borders mandatorily need to provide proof of residence issued by a local police station, village chief, or government-recognised authority. The pass, intended for single entry, must be surrendered at the same crossing point upon return.
India shares a 1,643 km border with Myanmar that run through Arunachal Pradesh (520 km), Nagaland (215 km), Manipur (398 km), and Mizoram (510 km). Of this, 1,472 km has already been demarcated.