Question : OPENING OF REGIONAL PASSPORT OFFICE IN ALLAHABAD

(a) whether the Government is aware that around 15,000 people go for Haj every year from Allahabad, Phulpur, Kanpur, Varanasi and Ajamgarh of Uttar Pradesh and despite old age they have to travel 200 kms. to Lucknow to get their passports issued;

(b) if so, whether the Government proposes to open a regional passport office in Allahabad;

(c) Whether the Government has received any request in this regard; and

(d) if so, the time by when a regional passport office is likely to be opened in Allahabad?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRI RAO INDERJIT SINGH)

(a) Yes, a number of persons go for Haj each year from Allahabad, Phulpur, Kanpur, Varanasi and Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh. In 2002, to take the passport services closer to the public, the Government introduced the scheme of decentralisation of submission of passport application forms to district level. Under this scheme, apart from Passport Offices, the passport applications are also received in the District Passport Cells (DPCs) set up at district headquarters. The applicants do not necessarily have to go to Passport Offices to submit their applications which can be submitted at the district level. In Uttar Pradesh, the DPCs are already functioning in all districts.

(b) No.

(c) Yes.

(d) Does not arise. A DPC is already functioning in Allahabad.