The Nagaland Legislative Assembly on Thursday unanimously adopted a resolution urging the Centre to withdraw the Protected Area Permit (PAP) regime in the State, with legislators arguing that the restrictions are hampering tourism, investment, business and international engagement.
The resolution came after a discussion in which Deputy Chief Minister Yanthungo Patton, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, Tourism and Higher Education Minister Temjen Imna Along, Industries and Commerce Advisor Hekani Jakhalu and MLA Naiba Konyak spoke in favour of reviewing the regime.
The House said Nagaland’s prevailing peaceful environment and its growing tourism and economic potential warranted a reconsideration of the PAP regime.
The PAP had been relaxed in Nagaland from January 1, 2011, but the Ministry of Home Affairs reinforced its application in the State through an order dated December 17, 2024.
Patton, while raising the matter, said the continuation of the regime was affecting tourism, investment, entrepreneurship and international engagement, sectors which have increasingly become important sources of employment and livelihood, particularly for the youth.
The resolution noted that the Hornbill Festival, the State’s ‘Land of Festivals’ initiative and other tourism and cultural programmes had helped project Nagaland internationally while creating economic opportunities for local communities and entrepreneurs.
It said the PAP regime had created impediments to international tourism, investment, business engagement, cultural exchange and international partnerships.
Along said Nagaland should not be treated on the same footing as States facing different security and refugee-related challenges, while acknowledging the Centre’s responsibility for national security. He also highlighted the importance of foreign visitors to the State’s tourism sector and raised concerns over the impact of PAP on the Hornbill Festival and tourism-related activities.
Jakhalu said Nagaland’s image as a safe destination was important for attracting investment, while Konyak called for complete withdrawal of the regime.
Rio, in his concluding remarks, said Nagaland had been experiencing one of its most peaceful periods since attaining statehood and argued that regulations should evolve with changing circumstances.
He cited State data showing that Nagaland recorded a cognisable crime rate of 61.6 cases per lakh population in 2024, compared with the national rate of 418.8. The crime rate against women was also cited at 5.1 per lakh in Nagaland against 64.6 nationally.
Rio said there had also been no refugee influx along the India-Myanmar border in Nagaland and maintained that the State’s security situation was different from the circumstances that had prompted concerns elsewhere.
He said the State was not seeking an absence of regulation for foreign nationals, but a system that would allow registration, regulation and monitoring through technology and institutional mechanisms in coordination with the Centre.
The Chief Minister also pointed to the growth of tourism in Nagaland as evidence of the potential that could be affected by the restrictions.
According to figures cited by Rio, Hornbill Festival footfall increased from more than 28,000 in 2010 to over 2.14 lakh in 2025. Foreign tourist arrivals at Kisama rose from 284 in 2010 to 2,528 in 2025, with the major growth taking place between 2011 and 2023, when the PAP was relaxed.
He said hotel accommodation revenue during the 2023 Hornbill Festival stood at Rs 2.76 crore over 10 days.
Rio also said the number of country partners participating in the Hornbill Festival increased from three in 2023 to seven in 2025.
The House noted that the State government, civil society organisations, tribal bodies, tourism stakeholders and entrepreneurs had repeatedly sought withdrawal or relaxation of the PAP regime.
The resolution appealed to the Centre to consider Nagaland’s peaceful environment, developmental aspirations, economic potential and the aspirations of its youth for greater opportunities and participation in India’s growth.
It further said regulatory arrangements should not become barriers to economic opportunity, employment generation and Nagaland’s participation in the national and global economy.
The Assembly unanimously adopted the resolution, urging the Centre to urgently review and withdraw the PAP regime and restore the earlier relaxation in Nagaland.