Question : Setting up of PSKs

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) whether there is a plan to set up 250 Passport Seva Kendras across the country including Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan by the year 2018 and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether police verification is required for issuance of passport under the Tatkal Scheme and if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the said procedure becomes easier after verification of documents by Secretary level gazetted officer and if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether it is very difficult for the common people to get their documents verified by Secretary level officer in remote areas of the country and if so, the details thereof;

(e) whether the Government proposes to facilitate the said procedure by allowing verification by local public representative like Member of Parliament for the convenience of people residing in remote areas of the country and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and

(f) the steps taken to ensure access to passport services in remote and rural areas of the country including Rajasthan?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
[GEN. (DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD.)]

(a) At present, 93 Passport Seva Kendras (PSK) are operating across the country as extended arms of the 37 Passport Offices thus providing extended reach to passport applicants. There is one PSK in Chattisgarh at Raipur. There are four PSK in Rajasthan at Jaipur, Jodhpur, Sikar and Udaipur. The list of 93 PSK in the country is at Annexure-I.

The Ministry in association with the Department of Posts has decided to open 251 Passport Seva Kendras at the Head Post Offices (HPO)/ Post Offices (PO) in the country including in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh called ‘Post Office Passport Seva Kendra’ (POPSK). The list of these 251 POPSK is at Annexure-II.

168 POPSK are functional as on 15 March, 2018. The list of functional POPSK is at Annexure-III.

There are four POPSK functional at Bilaspur, Durg, Rajnandgaon and Surguja in Chhattisgarh.

There are fifteen POPSK functional at Ajmer, Alwar, Barmer, Chittorgarh, Churu, Karauli-Dholpur, Kota, Bikaner, Hanumangarh, Jhunjhunu, Jaisalmer, Jhalawar, Nagaur, Pali and Sriganganagar. The Ministry intends to complete the requisite formalities for the operationalization of the remaining POPSK at Dungarpur and Banswada in Rajasthan by 31 March, 2018.

(b) Under Tatkaal scheme, Police Verification is carried out after the issue of the passport.

(c) to (e) Under the revised Tatkaal scheme announced by the Ministry, no Verification Certificate signed by any Gazetted Officer is required for issue of passport.

(f) The Ministry has eased the passport issuing process and has made it an online procedure including getting appointments for submission of documents for passports. Effective technical infrastructure is in place to ensure that the Passport Seva system is available for access at all times from any location. The passport rules have also been simplified to make it easier for the citizens to get passports. Opening of POPSK is aimed at ensuring access to passport services in remote and rural areas of the country including in Rajasthan.