On the occasion of Passport Sewa Diwas on Wednesday, Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan said that the ministry's future endeavour should be to simplify rules and regulations for issuing passports as well as optimize requirement of documents for getting a passport.
In the last six years, Muraleedharan said that the MEA has undertaken several important steps in improving the passport delivery systems in the country. The Passport Seva Programme has continued to take rapid strides and has become one of the largest and most acclaimed Mission Mode projects under the National e-Governance Plan of the government.
The issuance of passports is one of the most successful citizen-centric activities of the External Affairs ministry. "It is heartening that we issues more than 1 crore passports last year. I congratulate the collective efforts of all of you for the success story of the passport issuance system today," he said.
In order to take passport services to the doorsteps of the citizens of our country, Muraleedharan said the MEA has partnered with the Department of Posts to set up Post Office Passport Seva Kendras in the country. As of now, there are 517 passport kendras in the country.
The MEA has also put in place a robust Grievance Redressal Mechsm, which effectively uses social media to connect with the Indian citizens and improves delivery of the related services. All Passport Offices are now receiving public grievances directly through the latest version of the CPGRAMS of the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.
Muraleedharan also congratulated the recipients of Passport Seva Puraskars this year for their outstanding performance and the contribution that they have made to good governance.
"We will continue to serve the people following their guiding principles in delivering passports and passport related services to the citizens of our country," the MoS said.
"I am confident that our Passport Issuing Authorities in India and abroad would continue to deliver passport and other related services in a comfortable environment with wider accessibility, tranparency and reliability," he added.
( With inputs from ANI )