(a) whether cases of inordinate delay in processing of passport
applications have come to the notice of the Government;
(b) if so, the details thereof including the time-frame laid down for
the issue of passports under various categories;
(c) whether any mechanism has been put in place for the
redressal of complaints and grievances of the applicants and if
so, the details thereof; and
(d) the steps taken by the Government to make the process of
issuing passports easier and quicker?
THE MINISTER OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRI SALMAN KHURSHID)
(a) to (d) A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (A) TO (D) OF LOK SABHA STARRED
QUESTION NO. 380 REGARDING `ISSUE OF PASSPORTS` FOR ANSWER ON 19.12.2012
(a) & (b) As per Government instructions, passports to Indian citizens are
issued in accordance with provisions of the Passports Act 1967 and the
Passport Rules 1980 as amended from time to time. Prior to issuing a
passport, the Passport Issuing Authority must establish the applicant’s
citizenship, identity and an absence of criminal record as mandated by
the Passports Act. This requires verification of personal particulars of
applicants and antecedents which are time consuming. The Government has
fixed a time target of 30 days for issue of fresh passports and 15 days
for re-issue of passports and 1-7 days for Tatkaal applications subject
to submission of requisite supporting documents.In case of non-Tatkaal
applications, the Government is aware that in a number of cases passports
are not issued within the time target of 30 days for fresh passports and
15 days for re-issue of passports, due to:
(i) increase in demand for passport;
(ii) delays in receipt of police verification reports within the
stipulated time of 21 days;
(iii) receipt of incomplete police reports due to submission of
incomplete information/documentation by the applicants; and
(iv) shortage of staff strength in the Central Passport Organization,
not keeping with the increase in demand for services.
These delays are being addressed under Passport Seva Project (PSP) which
has been operationalised all over India by setting up 77 Passport Seva
Kendras (PSKs) under various Passport Offices in the country,
(c) There is a Public Grievance (PG) redressal mechanism in all Passport
Offices. Facilitation counters, PG Cells and Help Desks have been set up in
Passport Offices to assist applicants and to attend to grievances/complaints
expeditiously. After the implementation of Passport Seva Project, a 24 x 7 Call
Centre facility in 17 languages has been set up for application status
tracking and responding to passport related enquiries. Online grievance
handling system can be accessed in the Passport Portal (www.passportindia.gov.in).
Besides this, a Public Grievance Cell has also been set up under the
supervision of Joint Secretary (PSP) & Chief Passport Officer in the Ministry
for redressal of grievances received through Centralised Public Grievance
Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAM) of the Ministry of Personnel,
Public Grievances and Pensions, telephone, e-mail, fax, post and references
received from various Government offices. The latest status of redress of
grievances is posted on the CPGRAM website for easy access by the public.
(d) The entire process under PSP is online and streamlined including
interface with the Police for verification of personal particulars of
applicants and with India Post for tracking delivery of passports. The
applicants are given on-line appointment in order to visit the PSK at the
appointed hour and date to reduce waiting time at the PSK. The Electronic
Queue Management System at the PSK ensures ‘first-in-first-out’ principle in
application processing. The number of public dealing counters have been
increased from the erstwhile 350 to 1610 in the new system and public
dealing hours have gone up from 4 hours to 7 hours a day. The Passport Portal
carries detailed information on the documentation necessary to submit passport
application. Call Centre Facility is also available 24 x 7 to respond to
queries of citizens. Advisories are posted on the portal from time to time
and press releases are issued regarding changes in the submission procedure.
No police verification is necessary for re-issue cases if there is no change
in particulars. Facility of issuance of Tatkaal passport, subject to
submission of requisite documentation, is available. As soon as passport
is dispatched, a SMS/e-mail alert is sent to the applicant conveying the
Passport Dispatch status.