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The Government have taken various steps to speed up the issuance of passports and improve the functioning of passport offices. These steps are: (I) proper scrutiny of the application form and the enclosed documents at the stage of submission of applications to avoid objections at later stages (ii) regular interaction with the police authorities to expedite police verification reports (iii) setting up facilitation counters in several passport offices (iv) opening of District Passport Cells in various districts in almost all the States with a view to bring the passport services closer to the applicants and (v) starting on-line registration of passport applications in some Passport Offices.
Facilitation counters manned by ex-servicemen/NGOs have also been set up in several Passpaort Offices. These facilitation counters provide services like sale of application forms, filling up forms at nominal charges and provision for photocopying documents. Tele-enquiry and web-based status check facilities are also available to the applicants to check the status of their application.
The above information was given to Rajya Sabha today by the Minister of State for External Affairs, Shri E. Ahamed while replying to a question by Shri V. Hanumantha Rao.
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