INDORE: In what is seen as a New Year gift, Union government has fulfilled long-standing demand of migrant Pakisatni Hindus by delegating power to state governments to grant long-term visa (LTV) to them. With this, migrant Pakistani can get driving licence , PAN , marriage certificate and other certificate even before becoming Indian citizen. The move will simplify process for getting LTV, extension of visa and citizenships.

Nearly one lakh migrant Pakistani Hindus are living in India, waiting to get citizenship of India. Of these, nearly 17,000 people are living in Madhya Pradesh, including around 12,000 in Indore. For few decades, migrants have been demanding for citizenships, but till now only a few hundreds managed to get it mainly because of cumbersome process.

Shankar Lalwani, president, Migrated Hindu Help Centre, an organization working for rights of migrant Pakistani Hindus, said now migrants would able to get driving licence, PAN, marriage certificate and admission in schools and colleges even before they get citizenship. “All identification cards and other certificated can be made on basis of LTV,” Lalwani said, adding district collector will have power through state government to grant LTV.

Earlier, LTV was granted by foreign ministry after a cumbersome process which often takes years. Now, one can get LTV in few months after completing necessary formalities.

“To provide relief, the Centre has decided to increase tenure of LTV from one year to five years,” said Lalwani, adding that after spending seven years in the country one can apply for citizenship. Union government is considering reducing time period to three years for migrant Pakistani Hindus.

Organization secretary Deepchand Chawla said, “Now state government will have power to grant visa for staying in three cities at a time,” Chawal said, adding that to resolve all issues related to visa and citizenship a special two-day camp would be organized in Indore by officials of Union ministry of home affairs in January.