Passport offices to remain open this weekend

June 22, 2012

passport

New Delhi, June 22: Amid reports of delays in online applications of passports and the growing logjam, the external affairs ministry Friday announced that passport offices in Delhi, Ghaziabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Lucknow and Amritisar will be open Saturday and Sunday.

The ministry also defended what it called the citizen-centric online application system and said it has successfully completed setting up and operationalisation of 77 Passport Seva Kendras (PSKs) in the country.

"In order to address unprecedented demand for Passport services during these months, the Ministry of External Affairs has decided to open Regional Passport Offices, including Passport Seva Kendras under their jurisdiction (Delhi, Ghaziabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Lucknow and Amritisar), on June 23 and 24," the ministry said.

The applications for all passport related services "other than tatkaal" shall be accepted during the 'Passport Mela', said the ministry.

Taking note of reports in the media about applicants being fleeced by touts and middlemen for uploading applications and arranging appointments, the ministry clarified that the appointment system has been introduced in keeping with the objective of making government services accessible to the common man through common service delivery outlets.

The process is aimed at ensuring efficiency, transparency and reliability of such services at affordable costs, it said.

The ministry said it is improving governance in passport offices by focussing on citizen-centricity, service orientation and transparency.

The online application and appointment system at the PSKs was aimed at cutting down waiting time for the applicants, but the system has not worked for hundreds of applicanats due to technical glitches and other factors.

Under the new system, if appointments are not available and the passport is required urgently, walk-in facility can be allowed by the concerned regional passport officer.

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News Network
January 29,2020

Aurangabad, Jan 29: Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah of creating a conflict between Hindu and Muslim communities in the country, former JNU student leader Kanhaiya Kumar has said the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) was adding fuel to the fire.

He was speaking at a rally held on Tuesday at Pathri in Parbhani district of Maharashtra against the CAA and the National Register of Citizens (NRC). It was organised by NCP MLC Abdullah Durrani.

"Modi and Shah used to create conflicts between Hindus and Muslims during the Gujarat elections. Now they are adopting the same strategy in the country," Kumar alleged.

Citizens should keep the religious conflicts aside and question the present government about unemployment and the poor state of the economy, he said.

"Through the CAA, the government is adding fuel to the fire, which is already raging in the country," he alleged.

When anyone questions the government about the problems existing in the country, it in turn asks him about his citizenship, the former JNUSU leader alleged.

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News Network
May 12,2020

New Delhi, May 12: A total of 12 special evacuation flights from across the globe will bring home stranded Indians on the sixth day of 'Vande Bharat Mission' on Tuesday.

The special flights include Air India flight from Manila to Ahmedabad, London to Hyderabad, Newark-Mumbai-Ahmedabad, AI flight from Singapore to Delhi, AI flight from Dhaka to Srinagar, Dammam to Kochi, Kuala Lumpur to Mumbai, Manila to Delhi, Muscat to Chennai, Dubai to Kannur, Dubai to Mangalore and Singapore-Bengaluru-Kochi.

Amidst the coronavirus pandemic, India is conducting 'Vande Bharat' Mission -- its biggest ever repatriation exercise since independence -- to bring back stranded Indians from abroad, including from the US, the UAE and the UK.

On the fifth day of Vande Bharat Mission, as many as 1,667 Indian nationals were repatriated from different countries in eight special flights.

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News Network
June 5,2020

Jun 5: Meerut Police on Thursday claimed that around 13,500 mobile phones in the country are running on the same IMEI, the number used to identify the device.

A case of fraud has been registered against the mobile phone manufacturing company and its service center, the police said.

The matter surfaced, after police personnel gave his mobile phone to the staff at cybercrime cell for examination, as the new phone was not working properly despite being repaired, Meerut SP (city) Akhilesh N Singh said.

The cyber cell found that around 13,500 other mobile phones are also running on the same International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) as that of the police personnel's phone, the superintendent of police said.

He said the matter is a serious security issue.

Prima facie it appears to be negligence on part of the mobile phone company and criminals can use it to their advantage, Singh said.

He said a case has been registered under relevant sections of the law at a Medical police station and a team of experts has been called to look into the matter.

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