Kohima: Inner Line Permits will not solve the Northeast’s complex problems. The region faces urgent struggles with land, jobs, migration, and development. Manipur University’s Prof. Ch Priyoranjan Singh delivered this warning during a national seminar in Dimapur.
The Naga Students' Federation hosted the event at Town Hall to discuss the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation of 1873. Singh argued that while the Northeast has found a fragile social and political balance, it must stop leaning on government crutches. He urged local leaders to build internal skills and drive their own investment policies instead.
Government policy has evolved since the Shukla Commission and Vision 2020. Officials once promised the region could grow at its own genius. Singh presented data on population trends and permit implementation to show why current demands for protective borders remain so high. Manipur, he noted, operated its own foreigner pass system starting in 1901. It was never a part of British India.
Progress requires more than just regulations. "The biggest historical problem with Northeastern India is our insular-mindedness," Singh said. He called for a shift toward competition and trade to pull the region into the global market. He challenged his audience to look past defensive measures. He asked the crowd, "How long can the Northeast live supported on crutches?"
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