NRC update response still tepid

 With only 27 per cent households submitting NRC forms, last date extended till August 31

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, July 24: The last date for submission of NRC application forms have been extended till August 31, the State NRC coorditor Prateek Hazela said today, but maintained that it would not be possible to extend the date further in order to meet the apex court deadline for fil publication of the updated register.

"The last date of submission of application forms has been extended up to August 31. It is, however, clarified that considering the date of fil publication of the updated NRC continues to be January 1, 2016, no further extension of date would be possible under any circumstances," he said, appealing to the people to submit their forms within the date.

He said that the online submission facility has been restored on Thursday. "Yesterday itself, 11,417 application forms were submitted online," he revealed.

Till Thursday, 27 per cent of the total 64.01 lakh households in the State have submitted their NRC application forms. While 16.99 lakh forms were submitted at the NRC Seva Kendras, another 57,140 were filled online.

District-wise, maximum number of applications have been recorded in lbari (56 per cent of the households), followed by Barpeta (53 per cent) and Bongaigaon (40 per cent). Around 40 per cent households have submitted their application forms in the two Kamrup districts.

People of Karbi Anglong were lagging behind. Only around 9 per cent of the households have submitted their NRC forms in the hill district. A separate set of forms have been issued for migrants from other states following directives from the Supreme Court. The migrants, however, will have to furnish a document to prove that they were citizens of India pre-March 25, 1971.

"The updated NRC will consist of mes of all Indian citizens, including their children and descendants, who may have moved to the state of Assam subsequent to March 24, 1971. They would be eligible for inclusion in the NRC on adducing satisfactory proof of residence in any part of the country as on 24th March, 1971," Hazela said.

Tea tribes will also be eligible to be covered under the category of "origil inhabitants of Assam" provided for under Clause 3(3) of The Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of tiol Identity Cards) Rules, 2003. Inclusion of such origil inhabitants would be on the basis of proof to the satisfaction of the registering authority which establishes the citizenship of such persons beyond reasoble doubt.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi called upon the people of Assam to take the NRC update exercise seriously and enroll their mes with documents available with them. Gogoi also appealed to all sections of people especially youths along with political parties and NGOs to extend full cooperation for a correct NRC.

In a statement, Gogoi said on Friday, "I am very keen to complete the process of NRC updation incorporating the mes of only genuine Indian citizens, as it will help in detecting illegal migrants." He also urged upon the Centre to take effective and pro-active steps to stop further infiltration.

Chief Minister Gogoi said, "NRC updating process has been started at my initiative and at the same time I must thank AASU for agreeing with the Centre and State for this exercise".