Centre to transform 2 Passport Seva Kendras into all women PSKs

The Union Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan announced that two Passport Seva Kendras (PSK) will be transformed into "All Women PSK” on the occasion of International Women’s Day on March 8, 2021. The initiative is being undertaken under the flagship Passport Seva Programme of the Ministry.

The two Passport Seva Kendras that will be transformed into all-women Passport Seva Kendras include one located at RK Puram, Bhikaji Cama Place, New Delhi and another at Tripunithura, Kochi, Kerala. 

What is Passport Seva Programme?

The Passport Seva Programme is an ambitious programme of the Indian government, which helps deliver passport-related services to the citizens in India and those living aboard.  It has  emerged as one of the most successful passport delivery programmes. 

Significance

The programme has helped take forward the vision of Digital India with the successful establishment of :

i) Digital ecosystem that offers passport related services to the Indian citizens at their doorstep

ii) Ensuring smooth governance and ease of services

iii) Digitally empowering the citizens

Centre's initiatives to improve passport service delivery

•The centre has taken various steps to bring improvements in the delivery of passport services to the citizens in India and those living outside the country. 

•Due to the centre's efforts, 93 Passport Seva Kendras and 426 Post Office Passport Seva Kendras apart from the existing 36 Passport Offices were made operational across the country.

•The programme was also extended to 190 Indian Mission and Posts abroad, establishing a global footprint. 

•The centre also took steps to simplify the passport process, manuals and rules. 

•The centre has also taken steps to empower women as a part of the Passport Seva Programme. A total of 1670 women employees were deployed in the Passport Seva Programme.