Lok Sabha Question No. 2199 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-15
Subject: Passport Office Seva Kendras
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Sushil Kumar Rinku

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

ANSWERED ON- 15/12/2023

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-2199

## PASSPORT OFFICE SEVA KENDRAS

## 2199. SHRI SUSHIL KUMAR RINKU

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state :-

(a) the number of passport offices/Passport Service Kendras (PSKs) functioning in Punjab;

(b) the number of applications received for issuing passport in each passports offices/service kendras and the number of passports issued/renewed during the last three years;

(c) whether the demand for passports has been rising year by year;

(d) if so, whether the Government has any proposal to open more Passport Centres in the country to meet the rising demand, if so, the details thereof;

(e) whether there is any shortage of manpower and infrastructure facilities at these centres and if so, the details thereof; and

(f) the remedial measures taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

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

## [SHRI V. MURALEEDHARAN]

(a to d) In Punjab, there are 06 PSKs and 09 POPSKs currently functioning under 03 Regional Passport Offices (RPOs) in the State of Punjab.

Number of passport applications received and passports issued in each PSK and POPSK in Punjab, during the last three years are attached at Annexure-I.

The backlog of passport applications accumulated during 2020 and 2021 due to the impact of Covid-19 had increased the demand of passport related services all over India, including at RPOs in the State of Punjab, during 2022 as well as 2023.

As on date, 93 PSKs and 434 POPSKs have been set up in the country and are operational to cater to the needs of passport seekers. Furthermore, some of the PSKs in Punjab are being enlarged to meet the rising demand. Opening of new passport offices/centres depends on several factors including on the volume of applications.

(e & f) Government has deployed more than 50 officials on Temporary Duty in the three Passport Offices in Punjab as well as hired 50 Data Entry Operators (DEOs) and 05 Multi Tasking Staffs (MTSs) from Outsourced Agency, in Passport Offices located in the state of Punjab as an interim measure for smooth functioning of the Passport Offices.

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## Annexure-I

| Details of Passports applications processed and Passports issued in the State of Punjab   | Details of Passports applications processed and Passports issued in the State of Punjab   | Details of Passports applications processed and Passports issued in the State of Punjab   | Details of Passports applications processed and Passports issued in the State of Punjab   | Details of Passports applications processed and Passports issued in the State of Punjab   | Details of Passports applications processed and Passports issued in the State of Punjab   | Details of Passports applications processed and Passports issued in the State of Punjab   | Details of Passports applications processed and Passports issued in the State of Punjab   | Details of Passports applications processed and Passports issued in the State of Punjab   | Details of Passports applications processed and Passports issued in the State of Punjab   |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| S. No.                                                                                    | PSK/POPSKs                                                                                | 2020                                                                                      | 2020                                                                                      | 2021                                                                                      | 2021                                                                                      | 2022                                                                                      | 2022                                                                                      | 2023 up to 30th Nov                                                                       | 2023 up to 30th Nov                                                                       |
|                                                                                           |                                                                                           | Application processed                                                                     | Passport issued                                                                           | Application processed                                                                     | Passport issued                                                                           | Application processed                                                                     | Passport issued                                                                           | Application processed                                                                     | Passport issued                                                                           |
| 1                                                                                         | POPSK Ferozepur                                                                           | 6488                                                                                      | 7485                                                                                      | 11487                                                                                     | 10636                                                                                     | 11457                                                                                     | 11616                                                                                     | 13410                                                                                     | 12621                                                                                     |
| 2                                                                                         | PSK Amritsar                                                                              | 101554                                                                                    | 102764                                                                                    | 132852                                                                                    | 126989                                                                                    | 186685                                                                                    | 176621                                                                                    | 201758                                                                                    | 192055                                                                                    |
| 3                                                                                         | RPO Amritsar Camp                                                                         |                                                                                           |                                                                                           |                                                                                           |                                                                                           |                                                                                           |                                                                                           | 16872                                                                                     | 8919                                                                                      |
| 4                                                                                         | RPO Amritsar Van-1 [ T0823HR3140BG ]                                                      |                                                                                           |                                                                                           |                                                                                           |                                                                                           |                                                                                           |                                                                                           | 657                                                                                       | 140                                                                                       |
| 5                                                                                         | RPO Amritsar Van-2 [ T0923JH9139B ]                                                       |                                                                                           |                                                                                           |                                                                                           |                                                                                           |                                                                                           |                                                                                           | 595                                                                                       | 141                                                                                       |
| 6                                                                                         | RPO Amritsar Van-3 [ T0823HR3130BG ]                                                      |                                                                                           |                                                                                           |                                                                                           |                                                                                           |                                                                                           |                                                                                           | 643                                                                                       | 136                                                                                       |
| 7                                                                                         | POPSK Bassi Pathanan                                                                      | 1637                                                                                      | 1829                                                                                      | 4861                                                                                      | 4255                                                                                      | 9496                                                                                      | 9313                                                                                      | 11090                                                                                     | 8775                                                                                      |
| 8                                                                                         | POPSK Bathinda                                                                            | 4238                                                                                      | 4367                                                                                      | 6741                                                                                      | 6406                                                                                      | 9243                                                                                      | 9226                                                                                      | 11518                                                                                     | 10342                                                                                     |
| 9                                                                                         | POPSK Bhiwani                                                                             | 4052                                                                                      | 4108                                                                                      | 5627                                                                                      | 5394                                                                                      | 7366                                                                                      | 7182                                                                                      | 8828                                                                                      | 10271                                                                                     |
| 10                                                                                        | POPSK Hisar                                                                               | 4460                                                                                      | 4465                                                                                      | 5958                                                                                      | 5651                                                                                      | 7354                                                                                      | 7247                                                                                      | 10213                                                                                     | 7776                                                                                      |
| 11                                                                                        | POPSK Kaithal                                                                             | 4007                                                                                      | 3963                                                                                      | 5836                                                                                      | 5628                                                                                      | 7340                                                                                      | 7149                                                                                      | 10323                                                                                     | 9022                                                                                      |
| 12                                                                                        | POPSK Karnal                                                                              | 5915                                                                                      | 6156                                                                                      | 6581                                                                                      | 6323                                                                                      | 8599                                                                                      | 8300                                                                                      | 11318                                                                                     | 9696                                                                                      |
| 13                                                                                        | POPSK Malerkotla                                                                          | 1198                                                                                      | 1460                                                                                      | 4240                                                                                      | 3669                                                                                      | 9135                                                                                      | 9063                                                                                      | 12250                                                                                     | 10461                                                                                     |
| 14                                                                                        | POPSK Panipat                                                                             | 3775                                                                                      | 3773                                                                                      | 5660                                                                                      | 5456                                                                                      | 7642                                                                                      | 7409                                                                                      | 10426                                                                                     | 10881                                                                                     |

|   15 | POPSK Patiala                          | 4087   | 4061   | 5726   | 5420   | 7137   | 7015   |   10885 |   9418 |
|------|----------------------------------------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|---------|--------|
|   16 | POPSK Ropar                            | 1000   | 1036   | 4248   | 3374   | 9380   | 9350   |   10686 |   9159 |
|   17 | POPSK Sirsa                            | 4663   | 4427   | 5944   | 5971   | 8770   | 8556   |   11708 |   9671 |
|   18 | POPSK Yamunanagar                      | 4558   | 4599   | 5844   | 5595   | 6804   | 6723   |    9869 |  10341 |
|   19 | PSK Ambala                             | 76053  | 75833  | 110099 | 106065 | 163893 | 158036 |  164805 |   8436 |
|   20 | PSK Chandigarh                         | 58919  | 59872  | 89742  | 84044  | 133848 | 131160 |  138952 | 155138 |
|   21 | PSK Chandigarh-II                      | 59797  | 60265  | 89246  | 83586  | 131639 | 128918 |  137055 | 129759 |
|   22 | PSK Ludhiana                           | 92496  | 94032  | 125774 | 119455 | 174333 | 172898 |  183903 | 127865 |
|   23 | RPO Chandigarh Camp                    |        |        |        |        |        |        |   29496 | 173296 |
|   24 | RPO Chandigarh Van-1 [ T0823HR3630BH ] |        |        |        |        |        |        |    1590 |  19065 |
|   25 | RPO Chandigarh Van-2 [ T0823HR3642BH ] |        |        |        |        |        |        |    1400 |    187 |
|   26 | RPO Chandigarh Van-3 [ T0823HR3123BG ] |        |        |        |        |        |        |    1544 |    213 |
|   27 | RPO Chandigarh Van-4 [ T0923JH9137B ]  |        |        |        |        |        |        |    1437 |    184 |
|   28 | POPSK Moga                             | 4312   | 4383   | 6582   | 6403   | 9830   | 8586   |   14268 |   1612 |
|   29 | POPSK Pathankot                        | 4476   | 4367   | 8862   | 8626   | 12079  | 11106  |   13771 |  14424 |

| 30   | POPSK Phagwara                        | 2216   | 2207   | 4427   | 4276   | 12424   | 10864   |   14262 |   14563 |
|------|---------------------------------------|--------|--------|--------|--------|---------|---------|---------|---------|
| 31   | PSK Hoshiarpur                        | 52586  | 52832  | 77056  | 74347  | 108265  | 104126  |  108756 |  106081 |
| 32   | PSK Jalandhar-1                       | 58233  | 57783  | 81765  | 78007  | 103951  | 99242   |  111127 |  108278 |
| 33   | PSK Jalandhar-2                       | 50985  | 50668  | 76718  | 73716  | 105277  | 100000  |  112429 |  109117 |
| 34   | RPO Jalandhar camp                    |        |        |        |        |         |         |   17318 |   12633 |
| 35   | RPO Jalandhar Van-1 [ T0823HR3636BH ] |        |        |        |        |         |         |    1125 |     668 |
| 36   | RPO Jalandhar Van-2 [ T0923JH9140B ]  |        |        |        |        |         |         |    1049 |     626 |
| 37   | RPO Jalandhar Van-3 [ T0823HR9751BG ] |        |        |        |        |         |         |    1175 |     698 |
|      | Total                                 | 504222 | 509411 | 730327 | 693209 | 1034179 | 999104  | 1181021 | 1236574 |

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