The Hornbill Festival sees a footfall of over one lakh visitors, including tourists from various countries. This year, it will be held in Kohima between December 1 and 10. Photo: Wikimedia CommonsThe Nagaland government has urged the Centre to completely withdraw the Protected Area Permit (PAP) scheme from the state ahead of the state’s flagship Hornbill Festival. The festival sees a footfall of over one lakh visitors, including tourists from various countries. This year, it will be held in Kohima between December 1 and 10.The state claims that the regime and accompanying restrictions hinder investment opportunities, economic growth, and tourist flow to the annual cultural event.Issued by the Government of India, the PAP authorises foreigners to visit states along India’s international borders in areas designated centrally as protected or restricted. The PAP regime was initially imposed under the Foreigners (Protected Areas) Order, 1958 and spans most northeastern states, including Nagaland.Also read | Ahead of the Hornbill Festival in Nagaland, a State versus Centre row brewsIn a bid to boost tourism, PAP was relaxed for Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland in 2011. However, it was reimposed in December 2024, citing security reasons. Since then, the Nagaland government has insisted it be completely withdrawn.What issues does the Nagaland government have with PAP?Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio had written to the Union Home Ministry in September seeking a withdrawal of the PAP.Story continues below this ad“At a time when states are being encouraged to compete for investments, build international partnerships, promote tourism and contribute to India’s global outreach, such restrictions place Nagaland at a distinct disadvantage. A regulation conceived in a very different historical and security environment should not become an impediment to the developmental aspirations of a peaceful state,” the letter read.Rio said that the continued application of the PAP regime was creating “avoidable frustration and a sense of alienation”, especially among the youth. Nagaland Deputy CM Y Patton said that the state government is seeking a complete withdrawal of PAP to facilitate tourism, especially during the Hornbill Festival. Photo: Wikimedia CommonsY Patton, Deputy Chief Minister of Nagaland and the state’s Home and Border Affairs Minister, told The Indian Express that the state government is seeking a complete withdrawal of PAP to facilitate tourism, especially during the Hornbill Festival, which attracts tourists from across the globe.“We have already discussed the issue with Home Minister Amit Shah, and he has assured us that he will study the matter and get back to us. However, till date we do not have any concrete information. Nagaland is a very small and peaceful state. There is no law and order issue over here. The PAP must be removed,” said Patton.Story continues below this adFormer Director-General of Police Nagaland, Besesayo Kezo, cited bureaucracy and a convoluted application process as obstacles for international tourists that have resulted in a drastic fall in visitors.“On one hand we are encouraging tourism in Nagaland, and on the other, when people from outside try to visit they are required to get the PAP mandatorily,” Kezo told The Indian Express. “The point is that tourists should be able to visit Nagaland without any issues and not waste time in hotels trying to get their permit after landing in India. International tourists have a limited number of days, and they should not get locked up in the bureaucratic process.”Also read | How a book on Nagaland’s butterflies by a nature enthusiast became an essential guide in State schoolsHe added that the PAP should be processed “at the source itself” when a visa is issued. “Often the visas are issued, then the PAP application process begins. It takes many days to get the permit”, Kezo said. “The government may have good intentions, but under the current process tourists get harassed. A visa is issued after thorough verification, so if tourists want to visit Nagaland, that should suffice. Nagaland is a part of India itself.”Ahead of the Hornbill Festival in 2025, the Centre relaxed PAP restrictions following repeated requests from the Nagaland government.Story continues below this ad“While we appreciated the intervention of the Government of India, such a limited relaxation had little practical benefit for international tourism. Foreign visitors plan their journeys, purchase tickets, arrange accommodation and finalise itineraries weeks and months in advance. A relaxation announced only around the Festival cannot provide certainty required for international travel planning and consequently defeats much of its intended purpose,” CM Rio had written in September.