MHA rejects Tourism Min proposal on biometric data of foreign tourists

[Hindustani78]

MHA rejects Tourism Min proposal on biometric data of foreign tourists | Zee News

Last Updated: Sunday, June 28, 2015 - 13:28

New Delhi: Citing security concerns, the Ministry of Home Affairs has turned down a Tourism Ministry proposal to do away with obtaining biometric data of foreigners wanting to travel to India on normal tourist visa before issuance of the travel document to them.

According to official sources, the Home Ministry, which is preparing to meet the target of extending e-tourist visas to additional 73 countries by the end of the current fiscal, has rejected the Tourism Ministry's request with regard to normal tourist visa seekers, saying it could pose a threat to national security.

Tourism secretary Lalit K Panwar recently wrote to Home Secretary L C Goyal bringing to his notice two issues -- notification for issuance of e-tourist visa for 73 countries and collection of biometric information of foreign nationals at the port of arrival.

In the letter, the tourism secretary said the requirement of obtaining biometric data before issuing regular visa was acting as a dampener for the prospective international tourists wanting to visit India.

Referring to a recent meeting of Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar with Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma on June 15, Panwar said, "Compulsion of biometrics before issue of normal visa was acting as a dampener for the prospective international tourists wishing to visit India."

Panwar said Jaishankar was of the view that collecting biometrics before issuing a normal visa to potential tourists should be discontinued and these should be obtained at the point of immigration in the country, only if the Home Ministry agreed to the proposal.

"The travel industry in our country as well as globally has been requesting Tourism Ministry to take up the issue with Government and issue directions for biometrics of the tourists (with normal visa) at the point of arrival in the host country," the letter said.

PTI

 

[Hindustani78]

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What is Biometric Data ?

Biometric data refers to records used to uniquely identify people, such as fingerprints. Biometrics is the name given to the various methods of capturing, storing, and utilizing this data. Two major uses of biometrics include the identification of individuals for the purposes of controlling access, and various applications for tackling and preventing crime.

Characteristics that are used for biometrics authentication are often classified into two major categories, physiological and behavioral. Physiological biometric data relates to the physical aspects of a person’s body. These include items such as fingerprints, retinal scans, and facial scans. Behavioral biometrics, sometimes called behaviometrics, include signatures, handwriting analysis, and voice pattern recognition.

Biometrics devices tend to operate in one of two main ways, verification or identification. In the verification mode, biometric technologies perform a single comparison of the presented data with a template that has been previously stored. An example of this is a fingerprint scanner on a personal computer or electronic safe. In the identification mode, a biometrics database is used. An individual item of data is then captured, and the system tries to match this piece of data with any of the existing items defined in the database. An example of identification biometrics is a fingerprint database of known criminals.

 

[Hindustani78]

Updated: November 3, 2015 05:41 IST
Biometric system comes into force at Medak Collector’s office - The Hindu

Biometric system comes into force at Medak Collector’s office - The Hindu

Collector Ronald Rose and Joint Collector Venkatram Reddy inspecting the biometric system installed at the Collector’s office for the employees, at Sangareddy in Medak district.- PHOTO: Mohd. Arif

Biometric system (BMS), with regards to the on-duty and absent details of employees, came into force at the District Collector Office here on Monday. It was considered that the system would effectively prevent the unauthorized absence of employees.

Launching the biometric system, the Collector, Yogitha Rana, said that the system would enable people to have prompt services of the employees as it compels them to be present in office. It shows the time of employees coming to office. This system would be implanted in all Government offices, she said.

To begin with, the BMS was being introduced in 20 departments, including RDO and Tahsil offices, and would gradually come into force in all offices across the district.

Joint Collector A. Ravinder Reddy, DRO and ZP CEO P. Mohan Lal, and District Information Officer Krishna were present.

 

[Abingdonboy]

MHA rejects Tourism Min proposal on biometric data of foreign tourists | Zee News

Last Updated: Sunday, June 28, 2015 - 13:28

New Delhi: Citing security concerns, the Ministry of Home Affairs has turned down a Tourism Ministry proposal to do away with obtaining biometric data of foreigners wanting to travel to India on normal tourist visa before issuance of the travel document to them.

According to official sources, the Home Ministry, which is preparing to meet the target of extending e-tourist visas to additional 73 countries by the end of the current fiscal, has rejected the Tourism Ministry's request with regard to normal tourist visa seekers, saying it could pose a threat to national security.

Tourism secretary Lalit K Panwar recently wrote to Home Secretary L C Goyal bringing to his notice two issues -- notification for issuance of e-tourist visa for 73 countries and collection of biometric information of foreign nationals at the port of arrival.

In the letter, the tourism secretary said the requirement of obtaining biometric data before issuing regular visa was acting as a dampener for the prospective international tourists wanting to visit India.

Referring to a recent meeting of Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar with Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma on June 15, Panwar said, "Compulsion of biometrics before issue of normal visa was acting as a dampener for the prospective international tourists wishing to visit India."

Panwar said Jaishankar was of the view that collecting biometrics before issuing a normal visa to potential tourists should be discontinued and these should be obtained at the point of immigration in the country, only if the Home Ministry agreed to the proposal.

"The travel industry in our country as well as globally has been requesting Tourism Ministry to take up the issue with Government and issue directions for biometrics of the tourists (with normal visa) at the point of arrival in the host country," the letter said.

PTI

Those tourists who are put off coming to India because they have to submit biometric data will be a negligible number and this shouldn't trump (valid) security concerns. All visitors put up with similar checks and inspections when visiting the US, India should be no different.

 

[Hindustani78]

Those tourists who are put off coming to India because they have to submit biometric data will be a negligible number and this shouldn't trump (valid) security concerns. All visitors put up with similar checks and inspections when visiting the US, India should be no different.

There are countries which are working to hampers India's Development and things are going in the right direction.

More and more foreigners are taking up long term resident permits from EU and West even, Government has to give them protection as they let us to live in peace and harmony in thier countries.

Hope Indian Establishment will not forget the mistreatment of Indians aboard and will give first preferance to citizens instead of outsiders.



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Biometric system, CCTVs in libraries soon - The Hindu

Updated: November 4, 2015 05:42 IST

Biometric system and closed circuit cameras will be installed at the government libraries to improve the performance of its employees, District Grandhalaya Samstha chairman Sampati Dhana Reddy said on Tuesday.

Chairing the second general body meeting in the district library here, he assured to purchase furniture and books for competitive examinations for the benefit of readers and students. Proposals were forwarded to the Government to sanction Rs. 25 lakh each for construction of library buildings in the Assembly constituency headquarters and Rs. 15 lakh for buildings at the mandal-level. Proposals were also sent to sanction Rs. 2,000 to each Government library for subscribing to newspapers and their maintenance.

The meeting approved the contingency funds spent for drinking water supply to libraries. Programmes such as library week, literary meets to promote Telugu language, conducting sports and songs competitions on Nehru’s birth anniversary would be conducted, Mr. Dhana Reddy said. A resolution was adopted to this effect.

 

[Viny]

Well there is a Compulsory Biometric Registration and Medical Checkup required for everyone who want to do Chardham pilgrimage in India (be it local or NRI or foreigner), one of the most sacred pilgrimage for Hindus, then why not put foreigners from going though biometric registration for traveling in India. Its after all for there safety and better tracking of them in case of mishap.

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Home Affairs
20-December, 2017 16:26 IST
Foreign Citizens Illegally Residing in the Country

As per available information, approximately 330 Pakistani and approximately 1770 Bangladeshi nationals have been deported during the last three years. No Rohingya immigrant has been deported during the last three years.

Illegal migrants enter into the country without valid travel documents in clandestine and surreptitious manner. Therefore, it is not possible to have a correct estimate of such illegal migrants, including Bangladeshi nationals, residing in the country. Some instances of violation of the law and involvement in illegal activities by foreign nationals have been reported. Registration of cases and action thereon comes within the purview of the police stations and State Governments/ Union Territory Administrations concerned. Statistical data of this nature is not centrally maintained.

Central Government is vested with powers to deport a foreign national under section 3(2)(c) of the Foreigners Act, 1946. These powers to identify and deport illegally staying foreign nationals have also been delegated to the State Governments/ Union Territory Administrations and the Bureau of Immigration under the Foreigners Act, 1946. Detection and deportation of such illegal immigrants is a continuous process. A revised procedure for detection and deportation of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants was communicated to the State Governments/UT Administrations in November, 2009, which was partially modified in February, 2011 and further modified in February, 2013. The procedure includes sending back then and there the illegal immigrants who are intercepted at the border while entering India unauthorisedly. The Central Government is also implementing a Mission Mode Project on Immigration, Visa and Foreigners Registration & Tracking (IVFRT) which will facilitate improved tracking of foreigners by integrating and sharing information captured during visa issuance at Missions, during immigration check at the Immigration Check Posts (ICPs) and during registration at the offices of the Foreigners Regional Registration Officers (FRROs)/ Foreigners Registration Officers (FROs).

Law enforcement agencies also maintain a strict vigil on the activities of foreigners in the country and take appropriate action in cases of any illegal activities.

This was stated by the Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Kiren Rijiju in written reply to a question by Shri Parimal Nathwani in the Rajya Sabha today.



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