NEW DELHI: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday reviewed the work of the recently constituted High-Level Committee on Demographic Changes and directed the Home Ministry to extend all necessary support to its work, including facilitating visits to border areas, major cities and industrial estates.
Shah, who chaired a meeting of senior ministry officials, asked to ensure logistical and administrative assistance to the committee, which was formed last month to study demographic changes across the country due to illegal migration and other unnatural factors.
“Shah on Saturday chaired a meeting of senior officials of the Home Ministry, including Home Minister Govind Mohan, Intelligence Bureau Chief Tapan Deka and others, to discuss logistical and other necessary support that the committee will need. The Home Minister has directed the ministry to ensure all required assistance is provided to members of the committee, including visits to border areas, access to necessary documents and coordination with state governments,” said an officer familiar with the matter.
The committee will study demographic shifts not only in border areas but also in urban areas and industrial cities, the officer added. Local administrations of states and union territories will assist the committee during its visits.
The high-level committee, announced by the Home Ministry on May 26, is headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Prabhakar Naulkar, and includes Census Commissioner Mritunjay Kumar Narayan, retired IAS officer Durga Shankar Mishra, retired IPS officer Balaji Srivastava and economist Shamika Ravi.
Officials said the committee has already held its first meeting and formulated its agenda. The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs said in a statement that the committee was asked to submit its report within one year.
Announcing the formation of the committee last month, Shah said demographic change is a serious issue that is not only related to the country’s sovereignty but also to national security, law and order, social stability and preservation of tribal society.
“This committee will comprehensively assess the demographic changes taking place across India due to illegal migration and other unnatural causes, analyze the patterns of unnatural population shifts at the religious and social community levels, and offer a well-planned and time-bound solution to address the issue,” Shah said.
According to the Ministry of Interior, the committee will scientifically evaluate the demographic changes occurring in different parts of the country due to illegal immigration and other unnatural factors, analyze their causes and recommend appropriate legislative and administrative policies and measures.
The committee will also propose a framework to enhance coordination between the Center and states on issues related to illegal migration and demographic imbalances. The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs said it has been authorized to request information, records and documents from ministries, departments, state governments and other public authorities, and may form subcommittees or working groups with the prior approval of the ministry.
The ministry also said that the demographic changes observed in some areas are not attributable to natural fertility and mortality trends but are linked to factors such as illegal migration, irregular population movement and administrative lapses. The statement added: “While these transformations are most evident in the border areas, their impact has also extended to urban centres, industrial corridors, tribal areas and other socially and economically sensitive areas.”
Evaluation mission
