Lok Sabha Question No. 942 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-07-24
Subject: Indian Citizenship for Displaced Persons
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: SONA RAM CHOUDHARY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †942

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 24 TH  JULY, 2018 / SHRAVANA 2, 1940 (SAKA)

INDIAN CITIZENSHIP FOR DISPLACED PERSONS

†942. COL. SONARAM CHOUDHARY:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) the provision for conferring Indian citizenship to displaced people in the country;

(b) whether the displaced people from Pakistan are living in districts like Barmer-Jaisalmer etc. of Rajasthan State adjoining the international border near Pakistan;

(c) if so, the details thereof;

(d)  whether  a  number  of  displaced  people  are  still  deprived  of  basic facilities  due  to  non-conferring  of  Indian  citizenship  despite  following  all the rules and regulations formulated by the Government in this regard;

(e) if so, the details thereof;

(f) whether the Government is taking/ prepare to take specific steps/considering to provide citizenship and all related facilities to the said deprived and displaced Pakistani Nationals; and

(g) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)

(a): Indian Citizenship is granted as per the provisions of The Citizenship

Act,  1955  and  rules  made  there-under  to  foreign  nationals  who  make  an application for Indian Citizenship in the prescribed form.

(b) & (c):   Yes, Number of displaced/migrated people from Pakistan living on Long Term Visa(LTV) in different districts of Rajasthan is given in the enclosed Annexure.

(d) & (e): Such  people  who  are  staying  on  LTV  are  provided  with  the basic facilities as per the rules. Further, subject to the conditions stated therein, the minority migrants from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh have  also  been  given  other  facilities  such  as  permission  to  take  up  self employment  or doing business, allowing free movement  within the State/UT,  transfer  of  LTV  papers  from  one  State/UT  to  another  State/UT, Reduction  of  penalty  on  non-extension  of  short  term  visa/LTV  on  time, opening  of  Bank  accounts,  purchase  of  a  small  dwelling  unit  for  self occupation, issuance of driving License, PAN  card  &  Aadhar  card, extension of LTV to those who could not renew their Pakistani passport etc.

(f) & (g): Government  has  taken  various  steps  to  provide  citizenship and all related facilities to the minority migrants displaced from Pakistan. Some of these are given below:-

(i) Power to grant citizenship to such minority migrants from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh has been delegated to District Magistrates of 16 districts and governments of 7 States to make the process simpler and  faster.  Ministry  of  Home  Affairs  has  been  in  touch  with  the

## L.S.US.Q NO. 942 FOR 24.07.2018

district/State  authorities  concerned  and  other  stakeholders  and  has sensitized  them  to  expeditiously  process  all  the  pending  citizenship applications of such eligible applicants. (ii) Web portal-  indiancitizenshiponline.nic.in  has been launched where the  applicant  can  file  his  application,  upload  documents  and  pay  fees. The applicant can also receive all citizenship related services in an online manner. (iii)    Furthermore,  the  powers  to  administer  oath  of  allegiance  to  such applicants has been delegated to the Sub-Divisional Magistrates(SDMs) in the absence of District Magistrate(DM)/Collector. (iv)  Fee  for  citizenship  application and citizenship registration has been drastically  reduced.

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Annexure to the Reply to L.S. Unstarred Qn. No. 942

| Sl. No   | Name of district   |   Number of Pak nationals living on LTV |
|----------|--------------------|-----------------------------------------|
| 1        | Barmer             |                                     284 |
| 2        | Jaisalmer          |                                    1389 |
| 3        | Bikaner            |                                      11 |
| 4        | Sri Ganganagar     |                                      03 |
| 5        | Jodhpur            |                                   14793 |
| 6        | Jalore             |                                     164 |
| Total    | Total              |                                   16644 |