Cabinet eases Citizenship Rules for minority migrants

New Delhi, July 13: In a bid to ease the lives of the foreign minority migrants in India living on Long Term Visa (LTV), the Union cabinet on Wednesday amended Citizenship Rules 2009.

The Cabinet meeting here was chaired by Prime Minister rendra Modi.

"The Union Cabinet approved facilities being extended to persons from minority communities of Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, mely Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians staying on Long Term Visa (LTV) in India," an official statement said.

The move is aimed at easing out the difficulties being faced by foreign migrants.

Now the foreign migrants living in the country on the LTV can open bank accounts, get PAN card, Aadhaar card and driving licence. It also allows the migrants to purchase property for self-occupation and suitable accommodation for carrying out self-employment. The decision would also "allow free movement within the State or Union Territory where they are staying, permission to take self-employment, transfer of LTV papers from one State to other, waiver of pelty on non-extension of short-term Visa/LTV on time, permission to apply for LTV from the place of present residence when the applicants have moved to the place without permission". In order to facilitate such persons to acquire citizenship by amending Citizenship Rules 2009, the provisions will help in the following ways: the Collector/DM would be empowered to authorise an officer not below the rank of Sub Divisiol Magistrate for administering the oath of allegiance to the applicant. The powers would be delegated to the Collectors of the 16 districts in seven states -- Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Delhi, Rajasthan Uttar Pradesh for a period of two years for registration as citizens of India. The government also clarified that the Collector or District Magistrate would be empowered to authorise an officer not below the rank of Sub-Divisiol Magistrate for administering the oath of allegiance to the applicant.