Kohima: The Government of India on Saturday notified a relaxation of the Protected Area Permit (PAP) regime for the upcoming Hornbill Festival, Nagaland’s 10-day annual cultural and tourism event, set to begin on Monday.
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) informed the chief secretary of Nagaland in a letter.
Chief minister Neiphiu Rio on Friday appealed to Union home minister Amit Shah for the removal of the PAP regime from the state and also to clear permits for representatives of the partner countries of this year’s Hornbill Festival, which coincides with the statehood day.
The PAP regime, a system that requires foreign nationals to obtain a permit to visit certain areas of India, mainly in the northeast, was lifted from Manipur, Mizoram, and Nagaland in 2011 to promote tourism but was reimposed in December 2024 due to “security concerns.”
The state government has been requesting the Centre to review its decision on the reimposition of the regime since January this year.
In a letter to Shah, CM Rio said that the 10-day festival welcomes tourists from across the country and the world, and it plays an important role in the economy of the state, especially in generating livelihood and employment opportunities.
“This year, the festival will host six Partner Countries, each participating in various cultural events, business roundtables and networking engagements. All programmes have been finalised, and we are prepared to welcome several leaders and representatives from the Government of India,” Rio said.
This year, the partner countries for the Hornbill Festival include France, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Austria, Malta, and Switzerland.
Rio’s latest letter to Shah on November 28 made a fervent appeal to the Centre as a member of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
The MHA’s letter to the chief secretary acknowledged that the 26th edition of the Hornbill Festival will have six partner countries and that tourism plays an important role in the economy of Nagaland, especially in generating livelihood and employment opportunities.
The letter added that “tourists from across the country and around the world are expected to visit Nagaland” for the Hornbill Festival and that the “Partner Countries will be participating in various cultural events, business roundtables and networking engagements; and that the state government has requested the lifting of the PAP regime in the larger interest of promoting tourism, improving ease of movement, and strengthening integration with the rest of the country. Accordingly, the Government of India has considered the request of the Nagaland government keeping in view the importance attached to the Hornbill Festival of Nagaland.”
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