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Passport office to clear 500 more online applications daily

June 21, 2012

Passport_500

New Delhi, June 21: Shaken by the rising public anger against messy implementation of the new internet-based passport application system, the ministry of external affairs on Wednesday put in place a number of measures that are expected to make it easier for people to apply for passports. Some of these measures will come into effect immediately and a few more are likely to be announced on Friday.

Among the steps taken right away is a hike in the number of daily online appointments by 500. This is expected to ease up some pressure on applicants. Right now, the window for making online applications is exceedingly short. The hike by 500 is expected to make this window a little larger. What's more, the passport office will now work also on Saturdays in Delhi. In other words, 12,000 more passport applications will be dealt with every month.

These measures, as well as some more, were taken in the wake of The Times of India highlighting the pain of passport applicants in a series of reports. "We have treated the matter with utmost concern after the TOI reports. We will be releasing more appointment slots every day, little by little, and in 15 days you will see a definite impact," said chief passport officer (CPO) and joint secretary in the MEA, Muktesh Kumar Pardeshi.

The MEA has said that all Passport Seva Kendras (PSKs) will be increasing their capacity to deal with applicants over the next fortnight. The ministry also said that family tokens will be issued to allow family members to seek appointments together. In order to tackle touts and recalcitrant babus, the ministry said the online process would be made more transparent and anyone asking for money to play the system would face strict action.

Ministry officials promised that the website would be revisited to ensure that all requirement of documents are clearly mentioned. This will ensure that there will be no suprises or whimsical demands for documents. Together with the stick, the ministry is expected to shortly announce the carrot - a monetary incentive policy for those clearing a higher number of applications.

The ministry has decided to make one passport centre dedicated for passports under the Tatkal scheme. Right now because of the mess, Tatkal passport application do not get any real advantage despite paying an additional Rs 2,500.

Starting Thursday, the Bhikaji Cama Place PSK will accommodate 500 more online appointments, taking the total number of booking slots allotted to Delhi to 2,000. Pardeshi claimed that PSKs in Delhi have been witnessing a trend of roughly 30% online applicants not showing up on the appointed day. Calling it a "sheer waste of resource", Pardeshi said the MEA has factored in this absenteeism and will release more slots accordingly.

A special token intended to serve families better is also in the pipeline. TOI readers had complained that they couldn't book online appointments for their families on the same day as theirs. This new token, Pardeshi said, would solve this problem.

The ambiguities in the passport application process have been another concern. Both MEA and Tata Consultancy Services have claimed that the new system is "absolutely transparent" and "smooth". When TOI investigated the issue, it found that information pertaining to the mandatory documents displayed on the portal, www.passportindia.gov.in, was not in consonance with the ones asked by the PSKs. When PSKs were asked the reason, they said they reserved the right to demand additional documents.

This will not happen anymore, said the CPO. "We are working on our portal and will soon upload an advisory for applicants. The process will be explained in detail and hopefully, nobody will face any inconvenience at the PSKs in terms of 'surprise demands'," Pardeshi said.

But what about those people who fail to book appointments online and have to seek help from agents, who charge hefty amounts for bookings? "We are issuing instructions to all passport offices to lodge FIRs against anyone found claiming to arrange for multiple bookings in exchange for money. We are also considering an idea to rope in the postal department into the process. Post offices can book online appointments for a token fee and keep agents out of the picture completely," said Basant K Gupta, additional secretary, consular passport & visa division, MEA.

Passport promises

500 more online appointment slots for Passport Seva Kendra at Bhikaji Cama Place, taking total number of slots for Delhi to 2,000.

Tokens to allow entire family to turn up on same day for appointment.

Passport offices to lodge FIRs against those promising multiple bookings for fee.

Post offices may be alllowed to book online appointments for applicants without Net access.

Website to list details of all mandatory documents. PSKs can't turn away applicants by saying they reserve right to demand additional papers.

Likely announcements on Friday

Dedicated office for processing Tatkaal applications.

All passport offices to work on Saturdays too.

Special incentive scheme for staff for faster processing.

Quote

We have treated the matter with utmost concern after the TOI reports. In 15 days you will see a definite impact

—Muktesh Kumar Pardeshi, chief passport officer

Times View

It's good that the authorities are responding to media reports on the problems being faced by passport applicants. It's hoped that what's been announced will actually be done right away. We want a transparent and an efficient system for issuing passports. And an Internet-based system can achieve that. Transparency will, of course, mean that certain vested interests - from touts to corrupt passport office babus - will be badly hit. And these interests are trying to derail a more transparent system. There must be a firm message from the top that the system will be cleaned up and anyone found to be subverting it will be dealt with firmly.

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Agencies
June 13,2020

New Delhi, Jun 13: In a bid to provide relief to small businesses amid the coronavirus pandemic, the GST Council on Friday decided to halve the interest rate on late filing of GSTR-3B returns for the period of February, March and April 2020.

The interest rate on late return filing will be 9% from the usual 18% till September 30, 2020. The benefit will be available for small taxpayers with aggregate turnover of up to Rs 5 crore.

For the three months, small taxpayers will not be charged any interest till the notified dates for relief and thereafter 9% interest will be charged till September 30, a Finance Ministry statement said.

"For small taxpayers (aggregate turnover upto Rs 5 crore), for the supplies effected in the month of February, March and April 2020, the rate of interest for late furnishing of return for the said months beyond specified dates (staggered upto 6th July 2020) is reduced from 18 per cent per annum to 9 per cent per annum till 30.09.2020," said the statement.

The Council has also extended relief to small taxpayers for subsequent period of 2020 through waiver of late fees and interest if the returns in Form GSTR-3B for the supplies effected in the months of May, June and July are furnished by September 2020.

It has also decided to reduce the late fee on the filing of GSTR-3B returns for the period between July 2017 and January 2020. The late fee has been capped at Rs 500, but interest will be charged at the existing rate on the due tax liability.

Speaking to the media in New Delhi after a GST Council meet through videoconference, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that those entities with no tax liability will not have to submit the late fee for the period.

For entities with tax liability but which have not filed returns or have filed returns late, the late fee has been capped at Rs 500 without interest. Interest will, however, be payable on the tax component at the applicable rate for delays.

To facilitate taxpayers who could not get their cancelled GST registrations restored in time, the Council has provided an opportunity for filing of application for revocation of cancellation of registration up to September 30, 2020, in all cases where registrations have been cancelled till June 12, 2020.

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Agencies
June 19,2020

Kota, Jun 19: In a shocking incident, a COVID-19 patient in Rajasthan's Kota district died after his family disconnected the ventilator to plug in the air cooler to combat the scorching heat.

The incident happened on June 15 in the Maharao Bhimsingh Hospital (MBS) hospital.

A committee was formed soon after the death was reported, which will submit its report on Friday at 4 p.m., hospital Medical Superintendent Naveen Saxena told media persons.

He said, "We have set up the committee to investigate the incident based on the primary information. The committee includes deputy superintendent of the hospital, nursing superintendent and CMO. We will look into the matter and then shall explore further action for a need to go to the police."

The family members of the COVID-19 patient, who came to meet him in the MBS hospital unplugged the ventilator and had put on the cooler switch which they had brought from outside. The ventilator worked for some time on the battery but later it collapsed and the patient turned critical.

The doctors were reported of the patient's critical condition who came rushing and did all they could do to save his life, but the result was unfavourable and the patient died.

The doctors were reported of the patient's critical condition who came rushing and did all they could do to save his life, but the result was unfavourable and the patient died.

The relatives, on the other hand, attacked the resident doctors after the patient died.

Doctor Varun, on duty, submitted a written complaint to the officials, alleging that the patients' relatives misbehaved with the staff. Other resident doctors also supported him and boycotted work very briefly, but then later resumed work.

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News Network
June 8,2020

New Delhi, Jun 8: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has announced that malls, restaurants and religious places in the national capital would open from Monday after more than two months since the coronavirus-induced lockdown was imposed, but banquet halls and hotels would remain closed.

At an online briefing on Sunday, Kejriwal said hotels and banquet halls might be converted into hospitals in the coming days to treat coronavirus patients and therefore, they would remain shut.

"Malls, restaurants and religious places will be opening from Monday in Delhi in accordance with the Centre's guidelines," he said.

The city government will comply with the instructions of the Centre and its experts like maintaining social distancing and wearing of masks at these places, Kejriwal said.

"In view of the rising number of coronavirus cases, we might attach hotels and banquet halls with hospitals and convert them into hospitals. Hotels and banquet halls will not be opened for now," he said.

The Centre had said on May 30 that "Unlock-1" would be initiated in the country from June 8 and the lockdown would be relaxed to a great extent.

The Delhi government also issued an order allowing opening of restaurants, shopping malls and places of worship except in the COVID-19 containment zones, "subject to compliance with the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare".

Kejriwal urged the elderly people, who are at a higher risk of contracting the coronavirus, to confine themselves in a room and not to interact with even the family members in order to protect themselves.

Delhi has so far registered over 27,500 coronavirus cases, including 761 deaths.

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