New Delhi, June 24 (IANS) On the occasion of the 13th Passport Seva Divas, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar lauded the efforts of passport authorities across India and abroad, saying, Seva, Sushasan and Garib Kalyan are three key pillars of governance that would lead to a Viksit Bharat.

Taking to X , the EAM wrote: “Greetings to all Passport Authorities in India and abroad on the occasion of the 13th Passport Seva Divas. Your commendable efforts, guided by ‘Seva, Sushasan and Garib Kalyan’, are instrumental to ensuring ease of travel, deepening access to global workplace and empowering the citizen. With the roll out underway of Passport Seva Program 2.0 and e-Passport, #TeamMEA reaffirms its commitment to further timeliness, transparency and accessibility of our passport services.”

In a detailed message, EAM Jaishankar elaborated on key achievements and upcoming developments in passport services.

He emphasised, “Seva, Sushasan and Garib Kalyan are three key pillars of governance that would lead us to a Viksit Bharat. They are all reflected with prominence in our Passport Seva Programme.”

Highlighting significant progress over the last decade, the Minister said, “From just over 91 lakh passports in 2014, we have reached 1.46 crore passports in 2024.”

He also announced the nationwide rollout of Passport Seva Programme Version 2.0 (PSP V2.0), which leverages cutting-edge technology for improved service delivery. “Pilot testing of Global PSP Version 2.0 is currently under progress and shall be rolled out in a phased manner in all Indian Embassies/Consulates,” he added.

Regarding the technological leap toward secure travel, Jaishankar said, “The ongoing roll out of the e-Passport will enable contactless reading of data stored in the chip, facilitating smoother immigration experiences for Indian citizens.”

He also noted the impact of the mPassport Police App, which has reduced police verification time to 5-7 days in 25 states and UTs. Further, the minister highlighted expanded access to passport services, saying, “In the last one year, 10 new Post Office Passport Seva Kendras have been opened, including the 450th POPSK in Kushinagar in April 2025.”

Concluding his message, EAM Jaishankar congratulated all stakeholders involved in the Passport Seva Programme, saying, “I take this opportunity to congratulate everyone…for their dedication in rendering passport and related services collectively to our citizens. Happy Passport Seva Divas!”

–IANS

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