Passport fee to get reduced : Sushma Swaraj

Sushma Swaraj inaugurating the 60th Post Office Passport Seva Kendra at Karaikal, Puducherry, in a function presided over by Shri V. Narayanaswamy, CM of Puducherry.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday said that the ministry had decided to reduce the cost of Passport fee for 10 per cent.
“Children and senior citizen would be the main beneficiaries,” she added. “We are committed to simplify the entire process of passport services with a view to processing all applications in a speedy and transparent manner and have taken a series of reforms,” she said after inaugurating a POPSK (Post Office Passport Service Kendra) at Karaikal in Puducherry.

“The Karaikal head post office is the 60th POPSK (Post Office Passport Seva Kendra) of the total proposed 236 ones to be launched throughout the country. About 19 per cent more passport processing was done in the Seva Kendras since last year,” she added.

Sushma said her vision is to implement hustle free passport service to all people including those who live in remote areas of the country. “The POSKs, a collaboration between Post Office and Passport Service Kendra, will serve the purpose and help establishes a better reach among the people,” she said.

Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, who was also present at the inaugural function at Karaikal, said that the Seva Kendra could be beneficial for people living in the neighbouring states too.