(a) whether the Comptroller and Auditor General, in its report, has found deficiencies
in the implementation of rules and procedures in issuance of passport, visa and consular
services;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the steps taken/being taken by the Government in this regard?
MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRI E. AHAMED)
(a), (b) & (c) The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) in his report on
Performance audit of Passport, Visa and Consular Services covering the period 2000-01 to
2004-05 has observed certain deficiencies and has made recommendations to improve the
performance of Passport, Visa and Consular services. A summary of main observations is
annexed herewith. Steps have been taken to rectify the deficiencies pointed out by the
Comptroller and Auditor General of India.
ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2208 REGARDING ‘PERFORMANCE
OF PASSPORT, VISA AND CONSULAR SERVICES’ FOR ANSWER ON 29.08.2007
Summary of important observations
# Proper records need to be maintained for receipt, destruction and balance of Returned
undelivered (RUD) passports. These passports may be destroyed in the presence of a responsible
officer who should certify the fact under his dated signatures.
# The Ministry of External Affairs should institute efficient internal control system to ensure
full compliance with rules in regard to impounding/revoking of the passports and determine
accountability for non-compliance.
# Provisions may be made in the system to prevent the issue of a duplicate passport in lieu
of a lost passport without a specific reference to the related loss circular. A register of
cases containing details regarding lost passports, loss circulars and dates of their despatch
needs to be maintained.
# The Ministry of External Affairs needs to modify the software system so as to show uniform
and latest status of a passport wherever it appears in the system.
# Proper records of cancelled passports should be maintained. As these passports cannot be
issued, these should be destroyed in the presence of a responsible officer who may record a
certificate under his dated signatures to this effect.
# The Ministry of Home Affairs should persuade the state police authorities to create a
separate cell to handle police verification of passport related matters within the prescribed
time.
# The Regional Passport Offices/Passport Offices (RPOs/POs) need to maintain a record of the
revoked/impounded passports, its revocation/impounding circular number, date of its despatch
and number of the entry made in the computer system. This record should be reviewed monthly by
the concerned RPOs/POs.
# The missing and damaged travel documents should be investigated thoroughly and also
immediately reported to the concerned security agencies, Ministry of External Affairs,
Ministry of Home Affairs, Passport Issuing Authorities and other authorities to avoid their
misuse.
# Stock registers should correctly record each receipt, issue and balance of blank travel
documents. Physical verification of stock should be conducted as per codal provisions and the
discrepancies promptly investigated to rule out any pilferage.