New Delhi, June 13: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday directed a high-level committee on demographic change to conduct a detailed study of population shifts in border districts and assess the impact of illegal migration and other factors on demographic patterns across the country.
Chairing a meeting of the committee, Shah asked members to undertake visits to border regions, metropolitan cities and industrial towns to evaluate demographic changes and identify the causes behind abnormal population trends.
The committee, constituted by the Ministry of Home Affairs, has been tasked with examining demographic changes linked to illegal immigration and other unusual factors, and recommending appropriate policy measures to address emerging challenges.
Headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Prakash Prabhakar Naolekar, the panel includes Census Commissioner officials, former bureaucrats and policy experts. It has been mandated to conduct a scientific assessment of population changes across different regions and communities.
According to officials, the committee will study factors such as cross-border activities, illegal immigration, economic opportunities, migration patterns and socio-environmental influences that may be contributing to demographic shifts.
The panel will also examine changes in population structures among various social and religious communities, particularly in areas where demographic trends differ significantly from broader national patterns.
In addition, the committee has been asked to recommend policy, legislative and administrative measures, including mechanisms for the identification, detention and deportation of illegal immigrants in a legal, fair and time-bound manner.
The Home Minister reiterated that demographic change is a matter linked to national security, social stability, law and order, and the preservation of cultural and tribal identities, underscoring the importance of a comprehensive and evidence-based approach to the issue.
