To streamline the process, special committees are being established across districts in Bihar. These committees will organize block-level camps to assist Nepali women in registration and documentation, ensuring easier access to citizenship procedures. The effort is expected to benefit a large number of women, granting them authorized citizenship status while eliminating the need for repeated visits to district headquarters.
The initiative seeks to formalize the centuries-old cultural and familial ties between India and Nepal, particularly in border regions where intermarriage has been a longstanding tradition. By bringing administrative machinery directly to the people, authorities aim to strengthen these ties at an institutional level while also creating a comprehensive database of Nepali women married into Indian families across the region.
The matter was discussed during a review meeting in the Seemanchal region chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Following the meeting, Rajesh Kumar, Commissioner of Purnia and Saharsa divisions, directed officials to verify cases of Nepali women married in the Seemanchal and Kosi regions and facilitate their access to Indian citizenship through administrative support.
Under existing provisions, Nepali women married to Indian citizens can apply for citizenship through registration after residing in India for a minimum of seven years. The application process is entirely online and must be completed through the official portal of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
To ensure transparency and efficiency, the District Magistrate of Purnia has ordered the गठन of a high-level committee led by the Additional District Magistrate responsible for law and order. The committee includes the Additional Superintendent of Police, the Deputy Election Officer, and Block Development Officers from all concerned blocks. This team will conduct special camps across the district to provide technical and legal assistance in the registration process.
The Seemanchal and Kosi regions, including districts such as Purnia, Katihar, Kishanganj, Araria, and Supaul, have a significant population of women from Nepal who migrated after marriage. Despite living in India for years and establishing families, many have been deprived of citizenship due to bureaucratic hurdles.
This initiative marks a critical step toward correcting that gap, ensuring legal identity and rights for thousands while reinforcing the deep-rooted social and cultural connections between the two neighboring nations.
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