Passport Mitras to help people: External Affairs Minister Smt. Swaraj

Bhopal: External Affairs Minister Smt. Sushma Swaraj has said that Bhopal has country’s first passport centre where applicant is called next day of moving application. Duration has been extended to 3 days on people’s demand. She said that 99 lakh 6 thousand passports have been issued in the country during one year denoting to 17 percent increase. Citing its reason, she said that it is due to the fact that India’s relations with other countries and country’s prestige in the world are increasing.

At foundation laying ceremony of Passport Bhavan here today, Smt. Swaraj informed that a passport centre will be opened at Indore. She informed that youths will be given 6-month internship at passport office. She urged youths to become interns of passport service. She said that Passport Mitras will be raised for convenience of people. She desired completion of the building in 2 years.

Smt. Swaraj informed that there was complete chaos in issuance of passports one year ago. There was shortage of 5 lakh passport booklets. Order for them was not placed. This work was completed within 15 days. Now, one crore booklets are kept in reserve. Appointment cycle has been shortened. It has been brought from 48 days to 7 days and now one day at Bhopal.

Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan congratulated on completion of one year of the Central Government. He said that policy paralysis has ended. Country’s credibility and prestige has enhanced. Economic growth rate is increasing. Inflation is coming down. Citizens of India have been brought back safely from Yemen and other countries. Credibility of India has been established. Who could even think earlier about insurance schemes, Digital India, Make in India? Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has united Indians living abroad. She said that passport facility is necessary for increasing ties with word. The state government will extend maximum cooperation in it. Long wait for passports has ended. Referring to his initiative “Friends of MP”, he said that its objective is to connect NRIs.

Chief Passport Officer Shri Muktesh Kumar Pardeshi said in his welcome address that Madhya Pradesh had no passport office before 1978. Work was done through Lucknow office. When former Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee was Foreign Minister, he had given first passport office to Madhya Pradesh. He expressed gratitude to the Chief Minister for allotment of land for the building. He informed that much improvement has been made in passport service. India is the third country to issue one crore passports. A umber of historic works have been undertaken during last one year.

Former Chief Minister Shri Kailash Joshi, Industries Minister Smt. Yashodhara Raje Scindia, Mayor Shri Alok Sharma, MP Shri Alok Sanjar and MLA Shri Surendranath Singh were present on the occasion. Regional Passport Officer Shri Manoj Kumar proposed a vote of thanks.