Shah Orders Study Of Demographic Shifts In Border Districts

2026-06-13 06:33:33

(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer) New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday directed a high-level committee on demographic change to undertake a detailed study of shifts in population structure in border districts and conduct field assessments in areas witnessing significant demographic changes, officials said.

Chairing a meeting of the committee, Shah asked its members to visit border regions, metropolitan cities and industrial towns to examine changes in population patterns caused by illegal migration and other factors.

The committee was constituted by the Ministry of Home Affairs last month to assess demographic changes across the country due to“illegal immigration and other unnatural causes” and recommend measures to address the issue.

The panel is headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Prakash Prabhakar Naolekar. Its members include Census Commissioner Mritunjay Kumar Narayan, former IAS officer Durga Shankar Mishra, former IPS officer Balaji Srivastava and economist Dr Shamika Ravi. The Joint Secretary (Foreigners-I) in the Ministry of Home Affairs serves as the member secretary.

According to officials, Shah emphasised the need for a comprehensive and scientific assessment of demographic shifts occurring in different parts of the country and asked the committee to closely examine population changes in sensitive border districts.

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Announcing the formation of the committee last month, the Home Minister had described demographic change as a serious issue linked not only to national sovereignty but also to national security, law and order, social stability and the preservation of tribal communities.

“This committee will conduct a comprehensive assessment of demographic changes occurring across India due to illegal immigration and other unnatural causes, analyse patterns of abnormal population shifts at the levels of religious and social communities, and present a planned and time-bound solution,” Shah had said.

According to the committee's terms of reference, it will examine demographic changes arising from illegal immigration, cross-border activities, economic opportunities and various socio-environmental factors.

The panel will also identify factors contributing to abnormal settlement patterns and organised migration, while analysing structural population changes among religious and social communities, particularly where such changes diverge from broader demographic trends.

The committee has been tasked with recommending policy, legislative and administrative measures to address challenges arising from demographic changes.

It will also suggest a permanent operational mechanism for the legal, fair and time-bound identification, detention and deportation of illegal immigrants residing in the country.

Officials said the committee is expected to submit recommendations after conducting field visits and examining demographic trends across different regions of India.

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