‘Remove RAP to promote tourism in North East’

[Pradip Kumar Datta]

‘Remove RAP to promote tourism in North East’
 NEW DELHI, July 29 – Claiming that restriction on entry of foreigners in the North East runs contrary to the government’s Look East Policy, Manipur has asked the Centre to do away with the constraint to tap the regions’ tourism potential.

“On the one hand there is this talk of Look East policy and integration of the North East to the global economy, and on the other you have the Restricted Area Permit (RAP), which restricts entry of foreigners to the region. The two run contrary,” Manipur Minister for Tourism T N Haokip said here on the sidelines of a seminar. 

Under the RAP, foreign nationals wanting to enter the North East require Central permission and are granted for a maximum of 10-15 days stay. “Such a system does not encourage tourist arrival in the region. It should be removed. As such the region has not yet been fully integrated with the national mainstream,” he added. 

Haokip also lamented the fact that in certain areas of the region, even the entry of Indian nationals are restricted. “To visit state like Mizoram, even Indian nationals require Inner Line Permit. This does not in any way contribute to tap the region’s vast tourism potential,” he said. 

Haokip said tourism can help bring stability to the region, which has been witness to turmoil for a long period. “A vibrant tourism industry in the region can provide a lot of employment to the youths there. With the region bordering countries like China, Myanmar a lot of inbound tourist inflow can be expected if they are allowed to come freely,” he added. -PTI

 			
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