MEA observes 12th Passport Seva Divas, hosts Regional Passport Officers conference

New Delhi,June 24: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) marked the 12th Passport Seva Divas on June 24, 2024, commemorating the enactment of the Passports Act on June 24, 1967. The celebration was complemented by a three-day Regional Passport Officers (RPO) Conference held from June 22-24 in Delhi.

In his message for Passport Seva Divas, External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar praised the ministry’s remarkable annual growth of nearly 15% in passport and related services. In 2023, the MEA provided 1.65 crore passport services to citizens. Dr Jaishankar emphasised the importance of leveraging advanced technologies to enhance the citizen experience.

Jaishankar highlighted the ministry’s expansive network of 440 Post Office Passport Seva Kendras (POPSKs) and 93 Passport Seva Kendras (PSKs), totaling 533 passport application processing centres under 37 Regional Passport Offices (RPOs) nationwide. He lauded the passport delivery program as one of the most efficient and well-received government service models.

The RPO Conference was inaugurated by Minister of State for External Affairs, Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh, on June 22. Singh underscored the significance of continuously improving the passport delivery system and utilising emerging technologies to better serve citizens. During the conference, he presented the Passport Seva Puraskars to the best-performing Passport Offices and Officers, Central Passport Organization officials, State Police organisations, and service provider personnel.

Secretary (CPV & OIA) Muktesh Pardeshi commended the Central Passport Organization for its achievements and stressed the need for innovative solutions to further enhance the passport issuance system. He highlighted the importance of developing a well-trained, capable, and motivated cadre of passport employees.

The conference featured participation from Passport Officers across India and Central Passport Organisation officials, led by Joint Secretary & Chief Passport Officer Dr. K J Srinivasa. Discussions covered various topics, including the upgrade of the Passport Seva Project, ePassports, human resources, capacity building, public grievance handling, the Videsh Sampark program, and security-related issues. The goal was to provide faster, more secure, and hassle-free passport services to citizens.