Today: 7 October 2025
24 June 2021
3 mins read

Jaishankar aims at citizen-friendly passport services

In February this year, the Ministry integrated the Passport Seva Programme with DigiLocker bringing about a major digital transformation in delivery of Passport services, the Minister stated…reports Asian Lite News.

Stating that the mandate of the Government is to ensure efficient governance and timely, effective, assured, transparent and accountable public service delivery, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday called for making the passport service more citizen-friendly.

“The mandate of our Government is to ensure efficient governance and timely, effective, assured, transparent and accountable public service delivery,” said Jaishankar in his keynote address on Passport Seva Divas 2021 on Thursday.

“As we move ahead on the path of progress, we should take stock of the steps in the realm of passports that would make it not only more citizen-centric but also citizen-friendly,” he added.

“Towards this end, our first approach was to bring in simplification of the passport rules and processes,” the Minister pointed out.

“However, as the process is dynamic, we should continue to look deeper and deliberate further on reducing the compliance burden on our citizens,” he noted.

“The Ministry also made concerted efforts, in close collaboration with the Department of Posts, to further strengthen the outreach of passport services to the citizens by establishing Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSK) all across the country,” Jaishankar said.

“This endeavour has resulted in expanding network of Post Office Passport Seva Kendras across the length and breadth of this country,” he added.

The Ministry of External Affairs has leveraged the use of technology and digital systems into its’ functioning, including, especially, in delivering passport services, the Minister said.

“Our continuing consolidation and expansion of Passport services has ensured that there is a Passport Kendra in 489 Lok Sabha Constituencies in the country,” he said.

It is also noteworthy that two ‘All Women Passport Seva Kendra’ became operational at Delhi and Cochin, marking the International Women’s Day on 8 March 2021 and extending passport services exclusively to our sisters, daughters and mothers, the External Affairs Minister informed.

Continuing with its global outreach exercise, he said that the Ministry has integrated 174 Indian Embassies and Consulates abroad with the Passport Seva Programme enabling a centralized passport issuance system for our citizens in India and Diaspora abroad.

In February this year, the Ministry integrated the Passport Seva Programme with DigiLocker bringing about a major digital transformation in delivery of Passport services, the Minister stated.

This has enabled citizens to submit various documents for obtaining Passport services through DigiLocker in a paperless mode, he mentioned.

https://twitter.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1407951117833490436

Noting that the Passport Seva Programme (PSP) has successfully completed a decade in service of our citizens, Jaishankar informed that annually over 1 crore passports have been issued for three consecutive years till 2019.
“Despite the pandemic, we continued to deliver passports in a timely manner and hope to reach pre-pandemic levels as soon as possible,” he said.

Emphasizing on the word ‘Seva’ as contained in the ‘Passport Seva Project’, the Minister said, the attributes of being responsive, caring, considerate, and transparent are necessary for every ‘Sevak’.

He hailed all the personnel involved in rendering passport and related services for their collective dedication to the citizens of the country, despite the challenges and restrictions posed by the continuing pandemic nationally and globally. (INN)

ALSO READ-Jaishankar calls for permanent ceasefire in Afghanistan

READ MORE-Jaishankar highlights two big issues between India, China

Previous Story

Modi says govt committed to restore statehood for J&K

Next Story

Rajnath reviews Project Seabird at Karwar base

Latest from -Top News

OCTOBER 7: Stop the Violence Now, Says Guterres

Guterres recalled that “the attackers brutally killed more than 1,250 Israelis and foreign nationals….reports Asian Lite News UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged an immediate halt to the violence in Gaza, Israel, and

Piyush Goyal Heads to Doha for Trade Talks

During the visit, both sides are expected to discuss the proposed India–Qatar Free Trade Agreement (FTA)….reports Asian Lite News Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal will travel to Doha, Qatar, on

Hamas Heads to Egypt for Gaza Talks

The negotiation will focus on the details of enacting the first phase of the plan…reports Asian Lite News A delegation from the Palestinian group Hamas arrived in Egypt on Sunday ahead of

Multi-alignment, upgraded

With US ties strained and China tense, New Delhi taps Europe’s harder edge for co-development, clean tech and strategic autonomy, writes Manoj Menon India is recalibrating its great-power hedging as frictions with
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Abu Dhabi issues 500 plus Golden Visas to doctors

The government has called on doctors residing in the country

Ukraine FM dials Jaishankar, proposes Global Peace Summit

India and Ukraine have witnessed a series of diplomatic engagements,