Question : PROTOCOL ENTRY PASSES TO LEGITIMATE OFFICIALS

:

(a) The details of the Airport Entry Passes(AEP) issued for legitmate official operational, protocol and facilitation purposes during each of the last three years, category-wise ;

(b) Whether some of the protocol/legitimate officials were denied to issue of AEP during the last three years under the same guidelines/procedure ;

(c) If so, the details and the reasons therefor ;

(d) Whether the authorised protocol personal assistants of the public representatives are not included in existing guidelines/procedure for issue of an AEP ;

(e) If so, the details and the reasons therefor; and

(f) The steps taken/proposed to be taken to include the said protocol officials in the existing guidelines/procedures ?

Answer given by the minister


MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION (SHRI PRAFUL PATEL)

(a)During the years 2004,2005 and 2006, a total of 89149, 63823 and 52692 airport entry passes were issued respectively for official/operational purposes. During the same period, 7088, 6577 and 10442 airport entry passes were issued respectively for protocol/ facilitation purposes.

(b) No, Sir.

(c) Does not arise.

(d)&(e) In order to limit the entry of visitors to civil airports to the minimum due to the sensitive security environment, only two Airport Entry Passes are allowed to personal staff of each of the Cabinet Ministers, Ministers of State, & Deputy Ministers, as per the present policy.

(f) There is no proposal to include any other category of public representatives in the existing guidelines.