Passport applications increase after birth certificate relaxation
PASSPORT OFFICIALS IN JALANDHAR ARE ON TOES, DEALING WITH LARGE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS AND CLEARING THE PENDENCY
JALANDHAR : From the time the ministry of external affairs has given relaxation of birth certificate for seeking passport, officials are on toes, dealing with large number of applications and clearing the pendency.
Last year in December, the ministry had done away with the mandatory requirement of birth certificate as proof of date of birth (DOB) when applying for passport. As per data procured from the regional passport office, there has been a rise of 60,000 applications this time as compared to last year.
RegionalpassportofficeJalandhar had received 1,03,451 passport applications from January 1 to April 30 last year, this year, it has obtained 1,60,256 applications from January 1 so far. Passport officials said that in last four months, they have dispatched over 1,47,900 passports while others are in process of police verification.
The official said, to clear the pendency, officials have been working on weekends as well. “16 passport melas have been organised since January to clear applications pending in the region,” said Harmanbir Singh Gill, regional passport officer.
As many as 35,400 passport applications were cleared in the passport melas. Jalandhar regional passport office, along with three passport seva kendras (PSK) in Nakodar Chowk, Mission Chowk, and Hoshiarpur, collectively deal with as many as 600 appointments on daily-basis.
He said all PSKs have been directed to attend 20 cases under tatkal category and 30 applications of passport clearance certificate (PCC) along with 600 appointments on daily-basis. In place of birth certificate, people can now submit school leaving certificate, matriculation certificate, PAN card or Aadhaar card.
The ministry had announced that online passport application form now requires the applicant to provide name of only one parent and not both, facilitating the single parents.
An official informed that due to heavy rush, appointments are getting delayed. In regional passport office of Chandigarh, the appointment are reserved till June 7.