Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Wednesday announced that the state government would set up a separate department for the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system, a move aimed at strengthening enforcement mechanisms and safeguarding the rights and identity of indigenous tribal communities.
The announcement came after a marathon seven-hour consultative meeting attended by student organisations, community-based groups, political representatives, legal experts and civil society members to discuss issues related to ILP regulation, demographic concerns and tribal rights in the state.
According to the Chief Minister, the proposal for a dedicated ILP department had long been demanded by organisations such as the All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union (AAPSU) and the Arunachal Pradesh ST Bachao Andolan Committee.
Khandu said the government had, in principle, agreed to four major demands raised during the discussions, including strengthening the implementation of the ILP system under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR).
He stated that the protection of Arunachal Pradesh's indigenous identity, demographic balance and constitutional safeguards remained a top priority for the government.
During the meeting, concerns were also raised regarding illegal immigration, demographic changes and their possible impact on tribal traditions, culture and social structure. The Chief Minister said these challenges were not confined to Arunachal Pradesh alone, but were part of a broader national concern linked to security and preservation of indigenous communities.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Independence Day address in 2025, Khandu said the Centre had already recognised demographic imbalance and illegal immigration as serious national issues affecting law and order and cultural identity.
He also informed participants that Union Home Minister Amit Shah had recently constituted a national-level High-Level Committee on Demographic Change comprising retired judicial and administrative officials along with senior Ministry of Home Affairs officers.
Apart from ILP-related measures, the Chief Minister stressed the need to reduce dependence on external labour by equipping local youth with vocational skills and employment opportunities.
Highlighting the importance of skill development, Khandu cited the example of a group of tribal youths from Arunachal Pradesh who received specialised training in plumbing and electrical work in Bengaluru and later completed a project in Pasighat at significantly lower cost than outside contractors had quoted.
He urged community organisations to actively encourage youth participation in skill development and vocational training programmes across the state.
As an outcome of the meeting, the Chief Minister announced the formation of a high-level committee to examine the issues discussed and prepare a roadmap for future action.
BIG decisions taken today after a 7-hour marathon Consultative Meeting on Indigenous Tribal Rights, ILP and APST matters.
Student bodies, legal experts, political parties, CBOs and civil society organisations came together for one of the most serious and extensive discussions on… pic.twitter.com/uw0zChg6Uf
- Pema Khandu པདྨ་མཁའ་འགྲོ་། (@PemaKhanduBJP)
He said a follow-up meeting would be held on May 29 for the formal constitution of the committee, with representatives from AITF, AAPSU, the ST Bachao Andolan Committee and members of the legal fraternity expected to participate.
Khandu assured that the committee's recommendations would be discussed transparently before any final policy decisions are taken.
Calling for collective efforts under the spirit of "Team Arunachal", the Chief Minister appealed to all stakeholders to work together to protect indigenous rights, strengthen governance and ensure long-term stability and development in the state.