Nagaland Seeks PAP Exemption: Opening Doors for Global Interaction

The Nagaland government plans to ask the central government to lift the Protected Area Permit (PAP) requirement from the state, citing successful past events such as the Hornbill festival. Officials say the PAP, which was recently reinstated, limits international visitors and impacts tourism.

The government of Nagaland is gearing up to request the exclusion of the state from the Protected Area Permit (PAP) regime. According to Environment Minister C L John, this decision was made during a cabinet meeting at the chief minister's residence on Monday, as reported by PTI.

Under the PAP, foreigners must secure a permit to visit certain parts of India, including areas in the northeast. However, citing last year's Hornbill festival, which saw over 2,500 foreign visitors without incident, Nagaland's cabinet believes PAP constraints are unnecessary.

The PAP, initially revoked three years ago, was reintroduced in December for Nagaland, Manipur, and Mizoram. The Pap revocation aims to ease international access and boost tourism despite historical restrictions due to regional security concerns.

(With inputs from agencies.)