Lok Sabha Question No. 848 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-06-26
Subject: Issuance of Passports
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Mohanbhai Kalyanji Kundariya

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.848 TO BE ANSWERED ON 26.06.2019

## ISSUANCE OF PASSPORTS

## 848.     SHRI MOHANBHAI KALYANJI KUNDARIYA:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  work  of  issuing  fresh  passports  or  re-issue  of passports in Gujarat is being delayed without any reason and the passports are not being issued on time;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (c) the  number  of  applications  received  at  passport  office  and Passport Seva Kendra for issuance of fresh passports and reissue of passports, district-wise;
- (d) the number of applications lying pending for more than three months at present, district-wise; and
- (e) the time by which the said pendency is likely to be cleared?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## [SHRI V. MURALEEDHARAN]

(a) & (b) In its Citizens' Charter, the Ministry is committed to issue a  fresh  passport  in  'Normal'  Category  within  30  working  days (excluding  PV).  In  case  of  re-issue  of  an  ordinary  passport,  the Ministry  is  committed  to  issue  it  within  7  working  days  in  cases where pre-police verification is not required and within 30 working days (excluding PV) in cases where PV is required.

The  average  time  taken  to  issue  a  passport  during  JanuaryMay 2019 by Passport Office (PO), Ahmedabad, is 10 days (excluding PV) in 'Normal' Category and 2 days in 'Tatkaal' Category. The average time taken to issue a passport by PO, Surat, during  the  same  period  is  12  days  (excluding  PV)  in  'Normal' Category and 1 day in 'Tatkaal' Category.

Thus, while there is no delay in issuing fresh passports or reissue of passports in Gujarat, at times, the process of issuance of passports get might delayed due to the following reasons:

- i. Late receipt of police verification reports;
- ii. Receipt of incomplete police reports; and
- iii.   Late submission of requisite documents by the applicants.
4. (c) During the previous year 2018, the total number of applications received for passports in Gujarat were 8,83,560 out of which, services were rendered for 8,67,081 applications. During the period January-May 2019, the total number of applications received for passports in Gujarat were 3,41,472 against which services were rendered  for  3,52,183  applications.  The  number  of  applications processed in 2019 is higher than the number of applications during this  period  since  some  of  the  applications  received  in  2018  were processed in 2019.

There are two Passport Offices in Gujarat at Ahmedabad and Surat. The district-wise number of passport applications received at the Passport Seva Kendras under these two Passport Offices during 2018 and during the period January-May, 2019 is at Annexure-I.

- (d) The  district-wise  pending  passport  applications  submitted  in the two Passport Offices at Ahmedabad and Surat till 31 May, 2019, is at Annexure-II.

(e) In  order  to  clear  the  pending  files,  the  Passport  Offices  in Gujarat  have  taken  several  steps.  The  Passport  Offices  have expedited  the  printing  and  dispatch  processes  for  the  passports. Passports  Adalats  are  being  organized  at  regular  intervals  for  the benefit of the applicants who have also been requested to provide the  documents  in  the  absence  of  which  the  passport  applications could  not  be  further  processed.  At  the  same  time,  the  Police  are being urged to expedite the PV process of the applicants so that the passports could be issued at the earliest.

***

## Annexure-I

|        | Applications Received in Gujarat - District Wise   | Applications Received in Gujarat - District Wise   | Applications Received in Gujarat - District Wise   |
|--------|----------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|
| Sl.No. | District Name                                      | Passport Applications Received in Jan - Dec 2018   | Passport Applications Received in Jan - May 2019   |
| 1      | Ahmedabad                                          | 2,07,086                                           | 83,925                                             |
| 2      | Amreli                                             | 8,070                                              | 3,677                                              |
| 3      | Anand                                              | 33,664                                             | 15,062                                             |
| 4      | Arvalli                                            | 4,071                                              | 1,637                                              |
| 5      | Banaskantha                                        | 15,857                                             | 5,735                                              |
| 6      | Bharuch                                            | 29,156                                             | 11,254                                             |
| 7      | Bhavnagar                                          | 19,664                                             | 7,741                                              |
| 8      | Botad                                              | 2,352                                              | 868                                                |
| 9      | Chhotaudepur                                       | 1,970                                              | 790                                                |
| 10     | Dahod                                              | 5,686                                              | 2,098                                              |
| 11     | Dang                                               | 219                                                | 61                                                 |
| 12     | Devbhumi Dwarka                                    | 6,082                                              | 2,641                                              |
| 13     | Gandhinagar                                        | 32,263                                             | 12,777                                             |
| 14     | Gir Somnath                                        | 8,877                                              | 3,121                                              |
| 15     | Jamnagar                                           | 19,487                                             | 7,107                                              |
| 16     | Junagadh                                           | 13,863                                             | 4,853                                              |
| 17     | Kheda                                              | 20,277                                             | 8,528                                              |
| 18     | Kutch                                              | 32,722                                             | 12,746                                             |
| 19     | Mahisagar                                          | 3,433                                              | 1,351                                              |
| 20     | Mehsana                                            | 35,193                                             | 13,366                                             |
| 21     | Morbi                                              | 12,921                                             | 4,499                                              |
| 22     | Narmada                                            | 1,338                                              | 540                                                |
| 23     | Navsari                                            | 21,555                                             | 7,958                                              |
| 24     | Panchmahal                                         | 10,281                                             | 3,753                                              |
| 25     | Patan                                              | 10,434                                             | 4,266                                              |
| 26     | Porbandar                                          | 7,089                                              | 2,954                                              |
| 27     | Rajkot                                             | 52,193                                             | 19,264                                             |
| 28     | Sabarkantha                                        | 10,176                                             | 4,567                                              |
| 29     | Surat                                              | 1,39,595                                           | 48,067                                             |
| 30     | Surendranagar                                      | 8,234                                              | 3,407                                              |
| 31     | Tapi (Vyara)                                       | 3,085                                              | 1,151                                              |
| 32     | Vadodara                                           | 84,570                                             | 34,229                                             |
| 33     | Valsad                                             | 22,097                                             | 7,479                                              |
|        | Total                                              | 8,83,560                                           | 3,41,472                                           |

***

| ANNEXURE- II   | ANNEXURE- II   | ANNEXURE- II   | ANNEXURE- II   | ANNEXURE- II   | ANNEXURE- II                  | ANNEXURE- II                  | ANNEXURE- II                  |
|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|                |                | Files Pending  | Files Pending  | Files Pending  | Files Pending for More than 3 | Files Pending for More than 3 | Files Pending for More than 3 |
| Sl. No.        | District Name  | At Applicant   | With RPO       | With Police    | At Applicant                  | With RPO                      | With Police                   |
| 1              | Ahmedabad      | 505            | 2,098          | 5,187          | 695                           | 272                           | 28                            |
| 2              | Amreli         | 12             | 392            | 76             | 47                            | 14                            | -                             |
| 3              | Anand          | 40             | 946            | 884            | 129                           | 160                           | 11                            |
| 4              | Arvalli        | 9              | 72             | 57             | 20                            | 12                            | 2                             |
| 5              | Banaskantha    | 12             | 481            | 260            | 144                           | 59                            | 1                             |
| 6              | Bharuch        | 50             | 500            | 352            | 132                           | 103                           | 4                             |
| 7              | Bhavnagar      | 22             | 593            | 234            | 94                            | 41                            | 1                             |
| 8              | Botad          | 4              | 34             | 24             | 10                            | 3                             | -                             |
| 9              | Chhotaudepur   | 9              | 51             | 41             | 12                            | 1                             | -                             |
| 10             | Dahod          | 4              | 205            | 74             | 51                            | 29                            | 7                             |
| 11             | Dang           | 2              | -              |                | 2                             | -                             | -                             |
|                | Devbhumi       |                |                |                |                               |                               |                               |
| 12             | Dwarka         | 6              | 93             | 116            | 40                            | 25                            | -                             |
| 13             | Gandhinagar    | 66             | 749            | 589            | 173                           | 75                            | 7                             |
| 14             | Gir Somnath    | 10             | 182            | 155            | 100                           | 35                            | 2                             |
| 15             | Jamnagar       | 47             | 441            | 267            | 165                           | 55                            | 2                             |
| 16             | Junagadh       | 11             | 254            | 365            | 84                            | 31                            | 4                             |
| 17             | Kheda          | 13             | 573            | 240            | 102                           | 129                           | 1                             |
| 18             | Kutch          | 59             | 887            | 284            | 337                           | 150                           | 6                             |
| 19             | Mahisagar      | 6              | 66             | 186            | 14                            | 8                             | -                             |
| 20             | Mehsana        | 55             | 676            | 427            | 185                           | 113                           | 4                             |
| 21             | Morbi          | 20             | 145            | 215            | 56                            | 4                             | 1                             |
| 22             | Narmada        | 6              | 4              | 32             | 9                             | 9                             | -                             |
| 23             | Navsari        | 84             | 537            | 396            | 90                            | 64                            | 4                             |
| 24             | Panchmahal     | 23             | 294            | 98             | 56                            | 14                            | 1                             |
| 25             | Patan          | 42             | 536            | 92             | 181                           | 51                            | 1                             |
| 26             | Porbandar      | 11             | 250            | 42             | 64                            | 24                            | 2                             |
| 27             | Rajkot         | 124            | 570            | 807            | 390                           | 39                            | 2                             |
| 28             | Sabarkantha    | 22             | 298            | 265            | 69                            | 31                            | 5                             |
| 29             | Surat          | 1,644          | 655            | 3,131          | 1,062                         |                               |                               |
| 30             |                | 11             |                |                |                               | 330                           | 52                            |
| 31             | Surendranagar  | 19             | 242            | 70             | 72                            | 13                            | -                             |
|                | Tapi (Vyara)   |                | 53             | 86             | 19                            | 7                             | -                             |
| 32             | Vadodara       | 132            | 541            | 1,803          | 218                           | 108                           | 8                             |
| 33             | Valsad         | 83             | 407            | 249            | 202                           | 104                           | 3 159                         |
|                | Total          | 3,163          | 13,82 5        | 17,104         | 5,024                         | 2,113                         |                               |

***