Lok Sabha Question No. 894 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-03-01
Subject: Application for Citizenship from Refugees
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: SIRAJUDDIN AJMAL, RAMESH CHANDER KAUSHIK, NARANBHAI KACHHADIA, DINESH TRIVEDI, P.P. CHAUDHARY, DILIP KUMAR MANSUKHLAL GANDHI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 894

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 1 ST  MARCH, 2016/PHALGUNA 11, 1937 (SAKA)

## APPLICATION FOR CITIZENSHIP FROM REFUGEES

894.

SHRI SIRAJUDDIN AJMAL:

SHRI RAMESH CHANDER KAUSHIK:

SHRI NARANBHAI KACHHADIYA:

SHRI DINESH TRIVEDI:

SHRI P.P. CHAUDHARY:

SHRI DILIPKUMAR MANSUKHLAL GANDHI:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) the number of refugees and asylum seekers currently residing in the country, State-wise and country-wise;

(b)  whether  the  applications  for  citizenship  from  those  refugees  who are staying in the country since partition are still pending;

(c)  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  measures  taken  to  expedite  the process of granting the citizenship;

(d) the facilities and protection provided to the said refugees including those residing in North-Eastern States of the country; and

(e) whether the Government has issued notification to provide refugees status to all the illegal Non-Muslim migrants from nearby countries and if so, the details thereof?

ANSWER

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

(a):      There  is  no  national  law  on  refugees  at  present.  Only  Standard

Operating Procedure are issued by Ministry of Home Affairs to deal with

## LS.USQ.No. 894 FOR 1.3.2016

foreign  nationals  in  India,  who  claim  to  be  refugees.  Available  Statewise and country-wise statistics of stateless persons who claim to be refugees in India as on 31.12.2014 on the basis of inputs received from State Governments is enclosed at Annexure-I.

(b) &  (c): Indian  Citizenship is  granted  under  the  provisions of Citizenship  Act,  1955  and  the  rules  made  thereunder  and  there  is  no separate provision to grant Indian Citizenship to any refugees.

(d):    Long Term Visas are granted to such foreigners based on existing guidelines  after  due  security  verification  etc.  which  permits  them  for facilities  at  par  with  other  foreigners  such  as  -  employment  in  the private sector, undertake studies in any academic institution etc.

(e):          Notifications  F.No.  25022/50/2015-F.I  dated  07.09.2015  under Passport  (Entry  into  India)  Act,  1920  and  Foreigners  Act,  1946  have been issued by this Ministry to regularize the entry and stay of persons belonging to minority communities in Bangladesh and Pakistan, namely; Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and  Christians  who  were compelled to seek shelter in India due to religious persecution or fear of  religious  persecution  and  entered  into  India  on  or  before  the  31 st December. 2014.

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## LS.USQ.No. 894 FOR 1.3.2016

## State-wise statistics of Stateless persons in India as on 31.12.2014

| Andaman Nicobar   |     43 |
|-------------------|--------|
| Andhra Pradesh    |    358 |
| Assam             |     13 |
| Bihar             |     97 |
| Chandigarh        |      1 |
| Chhattisgarh      |  62890 |
| Daman & Diu       |      2 |
| Delhi             |  10161 |
| Goa               |      3 |
| Gujarat           |     22 |
| Haryana           |   1118 |
| Jammu & Kashmir   |  10538 |
| Jharkhand         |     14 |
| Karnataka         |  34348 |
| Kerala            |     12 |
| Maharashtra       |  47663 |
| Odhisha           |   1877 |
| Puducherry        |     24 |
| Punjab            |    102 |
| Rajasthan         |   3060 |
| Sikkim            |   2148 |
| Tamil Nadu        | 102478 |
| Telangana         |    210 |
| Uttar Pradesh     |    423 |
| Uttarakhand       |  11768 |
| West Bengal       |     21 |
| Total             | 289394 |

## LS.USQ.No. 894 FOR 1.3.2016

## Country-wise statistics of Stateless persons in India as on 31.12.2014

| Afghanistan   |   3469 |
|---------------|--------|
| Australia     |      7 |
| Bangladesh    | 103817 |
| Canada        |     20 |
| China         |      9 |
| France        |     11 |
| Germany       |      4 |
| Iran          |     40 |
| Iraq          |     13 |
| Japan         |      6 |
| Korea South   |      1 |
| Malaysia      |      2 |
| Myanmar       |  12434 |
| Pakhtoon      |     29 |
| Pakistan      |   8799 |
| Phillipines   |      3 |
| Rwanda        |      3 |
| Russia        |      3 |
| Singapore     |      1 |
| Somalia       |     14 |
| South Africa  |      4 |
| Sri Lanka     | 102467 |
| Stateless     |     19 |
| Sudan         |      3 |
| Tibet         |  58155 |
| U.S.A.        |     36 |
| United Kigdom |     23 |
| Yemen         |      2 |
| Total         | 289394 |