'Passport Seva Kendras' in each 543 parliamentary constituencies: Union minister

Agencies
November 23, 2018

New York, Nov 23: The government plans to open a 'Passport Seva Kendra' in each of the 543 parliamentary constituencies across the country by March next year to ensure convenient passport services to its people, minister of state for external affairs VK Singh said here.

The government is trying to ensure that citizens do not face any difficulty in obtaining their passports whether in India or abroad, he said as he launched the 'Passport Seva' programme at India's Consulate here on Wednesday.

The 'Passport Seva' programme has brought in a huge transformation towards delivery of passport services in the country, Singh said while handing over passports to a few Indian citizens who had used the new programme to renew their passports.

"This project will ensure better services for our citizens abroad. It is a service which is truly meant for citizens," he said at the global launch of the programme here.

The new system will ensure an easy and convenient application submission process, usher-in standardisation, digital overhauling, end-to-end status tracking and enhance security, the minister said.

The government plans to have a 'Passport Seva Kendra' in each of the 543 parliamentary constituencies across the country by March, 2019 to ensure convenient passport services to its citizens, he said.

"We plan to have a Passport Kendra in each head post office (in India) so that any citizen doesn't have to travel beyond 50-60 km for his or her passport services," Singh said.

The government aims that by March next year, each of the 543 Parliamentary constituencies in the country should have one 'Passport Seva Kendra' for the benefit of the citizens, he said.

The year 2017 registered a 19 per cent growth in passport related services. The monthly submission of applications has crossed one million mark for the first time and more than six crore passports have been issued through the 'Pasport Seva' system, the minister said.

The ministry of external affairs (MEA) has taken several measures to improve the passport service delivery experience, including by simplifying several passport rules and doing away with cumbersome requirements that delayed the process and led to unnecessary hurdles, he said.

The MEA with the department of posts took the decision to start 'Passport Seva Kendars' in head post offices.

As a result, 236 'Post Office Passport Seva Kendras' (POPSKs) have been operationalised to date and many more are in the pipeline. This, when added to 36 passport offices and 93 erstwhile 'Passport Seva Kendras', makes a total of 365 passport offices for public.

The MEA has also initiated the integration of 'Passport Seva Programme' at all Indian Embassies and Consulates across the globe.

The MEA has successfully initiated a pilot project at the High Commission of India in London followed by the Consulate General of India in Birmingham and Edinburgh.

After launching the global 'Passport Seva' programme at the Consulate General of India in New York for the Indian diaspora, the MEA will launch the programme at the Indian Embassy in Washington followed by the Consulate in Atlanta.

It aims to operationalise all Embassy/Consulates in the US during the course of next 15 days.

The Indian government plans to roll out the global 'Passport Seva' programme at all Embassies/Consulates within the next three to four months, a move that will ensure that "our 'Passport Seva' globally is inter-linked and centrally controlled," Singh added.

Comments

True.. Modi and his govt highlighting swatchh bharat and doing nothing for that. He and his people put waste on roads and  cleaning that for photographs

Vinod
 - 
Friday, 23 Nov 2018

First buid some women friendly clean and safe toilets in public plces

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coastaldigest.com news network
June 23,2020

Bengaluru, June 23: A senior IAS officer allegedly, who had faced arrest in connection with I Monetary Advice (IMA) scam, today allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself at his residence in the city. 

The deceased is BM Vijay Shankar. He had been arrested by special investigation team (SIT) in the I Monetary Advice (IMA) case when he was deputy commissioner (DC) Urban Bengaluru. 

He had spent few days in the jail over his alleged involvement in the IMA scam and was released on bail. The IMA case is currently being probed by Central Bureau of Investigation.

Shankar was staying in Jayanagar near Ashoka Pillar along with his family members.

Shankar was accused of taking Rs 1.5 crore to approve a report on financial irregularities, and was accused of giving a clean chit to the main accused of IMA scam, Mohammed Mansoor Khan.

The incident came to light around 8 pm. It is alleged that Shankar ended his life around 7.00 pm, when he was alone in the house. Shankar was said to be under severe depression after his name surfaced in the scam, and his subsequent arrest.

However, the exact reason for his extreme step is yet to be identified. Tilak Nagar police have taken up the case of mysterious death under CrPc and are probing further. As of now the police officials have not found any death note. A senior officer said: "once we finish the procedures of investigating the spot his body will be shifted to Victoria hospital for post mortem. The report will find out exact cause of his death".

Police commissioner Bhaskar Rao said: "We have taken up the case of unnatural death with regard to Vijay Shankar's death. Further probe will reveal more details about it".
 

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News Network
February 1,2020

Bengaluru, Feb 1: The police have arrested two miscreants belonging to a saffron outfit after they threatened students in the city who were protesting the firing incident near Delhi’s Jamia Millia Islamia, telling them they would meet the same fate as the injured student.

Saffron extremist Gopal Sharma had opened fire at students protesting the Citizenship (Amendment) Act near the Delhi varsity on Thursday, injuring one.

The Bengaluru incident took place at Maurya Circle, where the nightlong demonstration against the Jamia firing and CAA began around 7.30pm. By 11pm, the number of protesters reduced to 30 but the group decided to stay back after getting the news of another alleged attack on women and Jamia students by Delhi police.

According to Adrian, a student who was at the scene, the small group of protesters stayed within a barricaded area on the road, chanting slogans, singing patriotic songs and playing music. “While we were raising anti-CAA slogans, two men from among us began shouting pro-CAA slogans. The duo was unknown and when we looked at them, they quietly moved away,” said Adrian, adding they were drunk and returned after a few minutes.

Saqib Idrees, another student protester, said the duo began to issue verbal threats. “They threatened us in Kannada that they would repeat the Jamia incident in Bengaluru,” said Saqib, adding the duo also taunted them saying ‘it’s not CAA down down, but you all will be brought down’.

When the students questioned the miscreants, cops stationed at the spot detained the duo. “Police were very cooperative. Almost 20 personnel were with us till 5am,” said Saqib.

Meanwhile, a friend of the duo watched the drama from a distance and approached the protesters to apologise on their behalf. “He said they belonged to the working class and FIRs would destroy their lives. He apologised to us and we decided to let the matter go. After all, we are Gandhians,” added Saqib.

Adrian said though the two men were drunk, their threats exposed their ideology. After the duo was detained, the students continued their protest till 5am and dispersed after singing the national anthem.

According to High Grounds police, the men are bank employees and were detained for disturbing the protesters at Maurya Junction. “They are from Andhra Pradesh and work in a PSU bank in the city. One of them is set to get married in February. He had thrown a party for his other friends for the same reason. The duo was drunk when confronted by the protesters. We booked a case of public nuisance and let them off after a warning,” police said.

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coastaldigest.com news network
July 2,2020

Yadgir, July 2: A fresh video of the health staff dragging the body of a Covid-19 victim and dumping it into a pit disgracefully has gone viral on social media.

The incident occurred in Yadgir district of Karnataka on Tuesday, just days after shocking visuals of bodies of Covid-19 victims being handled disrespectfully in Ballari district went viral.

In the fresh video, two persons with PPE suits can be seen dragging, hurling and dumping the dead body of a senior citizen who died of covid-19. The duo dragged the body using a wooden log inserted to both hands of a plastic body bag for nearly 300 meters.

After pulling till the pit, the body was heartlessly dumped including a wooden log. Several villagers were also seen in the video.

The victim was settled in Siravara in Raichur district, although he originally hailed from Yadgir. On Sunday he was busy overseeing his daughter' wedding that was first postponed due to lockdown.

According to a relative of the deceased, on Monday he complained of breathing problems following which an ambulance was called to carry him to Raichur Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS).

Raichur Deputy Commissioner (DC), R Venkatesh said he was brought dead to the hospital as he succumbed en-route. The family members were quarantined and the body was packed as per the protocols and sent to Yadgir as his family members informed that the victim is from the neighbouring district. "In Yadgir district he was swabbed and his test results came positive," DC informed.

As soon as residents of Honagera village learned about the arrival of the body, the family members were harassed asking them to not to bury the body in any of the fields in the village.

Sridevi, a relative of the deceased said "the locals assembled near our house and threatened consequences if the body was brought here. Fearing backlash, we asked the district authorities to perform the last rites in the farmland owned by the victim. But it is now saddening to see the video where the body was inhumanely dragged and dumped."

Meanwhile Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa on Wednesday (July 1, 2020) said that six staff members have been suspended in connection with the inhumane funeral of a man who died of COVID-19 in Balari district.

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