Inner Line Permit: Introduction & purpose - Indian polity and Governance
Q. Consider the following statements about Inner Line Permit.
1. ILP system was introduced by the British to protect their commercial interests, particularly in oil and tea.
2. Indian government use it as a mechanism to firewall the tribal peoples and their cultures from onslaughts by outsiders.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?- Published on 11 Jul 15a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Both
d. None
ANSWER: Both
ILP is an offshoot of the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulations, 1873, which protected Crown's interest in the tea, oil and elephant trade by prohibiting "British subjects" from entering into these "Protected Areas" (to prevent them from establishing any commercial venture that could rival the Crown's agents) .The word "British subjects" was replaced by Citizen of India in 1950. Despite the fact that the ILP was originally created by the British to safeguard their commercial interests, it continues to be used in India, officially to protect tribal cultures in northeastern India.
