Demography along border should be mapped : Shah

Agartala, Dec 22
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said the demographic data of people along the India-Myanmar border, especially in Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur, should be mapped so that it can help in fencing the boundary and infiltration can be stopped.
Chairing the 12th meeting of the Shillong-based North Eastern Space Applications Centre (NESAC) Society here, he also said that there is a need for extensive mapping for mineral, oil, and coal reserves in the North Eastern States so that the region could be financially benefitted from the royalty received from these minerals.
“The demographic data of people along the India-Myanmar border, especially in Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur, should be mapped so that it can help in fencing of the border and infiltration can be stopped,” Shah said.
He said for this, there is a need to conduct a comprehensive survey in the border areas.
The Home Minister said the NESAC Society should focus on forest area development using space science.
He said for this, necessary steps should be taken by comparing old maps with the latest maps and where there are possibilities, efforts should be made to plant trees in collaboration with the State Governments. Similarly, Shah also asked the Society to map floods in the North Eastern States.
He lauded the efforts of NESAC Society for proper and positive use of space technology in administration and emphasised its extensive use in the development of a difficult geographical area like the North East in the coming times. The Home Minister also said that the NESAC Society should also focus on developing its revenue model.
He said under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India’s space sector has taken a giant leap forward in last 10 years.
He said after 25 years of establishment of NESAC Society, the positive aspects of the work being done by it are now visible.
Shah said the NESAC should further expand the scope of its work in these States, and, for this, initiatives should also be taken by the State Governments.
He urged the NESAC to take 100 students each with Science background from all the States of the North East on a visit to the headquarters of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) so that they can develop interest in space and related technology.
The Home Minister asked the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region to contribute 60 per cent fund for this project.
He also urged the State Governments of the North East to start new courses related to space technology in engineering colleges.
The NESAC should focus on forest area development using space science, he said. Shah said for this, necessary steps should be taken by comparing old maps with the latest maps and where there are possibilities, efforts should be made to plant trees in collaboration with the State Governments. PTI