LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3504
TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.08.2018
SHORTAGE OF STAFF IN PASSPORT OFFICES
3504. ADV. M. UDHAYAKUMAR:
Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) whether there were 2697 passport office employees in 2009-10 against approximately 60 lakh applications and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether there has been an increase of 65 lakh applications requiring appointment of additional 2080 staff members and if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether a large number of passport office employees have been posted at various other offices on deputation resulting in shortage of staff at passport offices; and
(d) If so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
[GEN. (DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD)]
(a) The sanctioned strength of the Central Passport Organization (CPO) was 2697 in 2009-10. The number of passport applications received in India in 2009 and 2010 were 51.66 lakh and 55 lakh respectively.
(b) The number of passport applications was 1.17 crore in 2017. The sanctioned strength remains 2697 in 2018-19. In addition, 15 Technical and 6 supporting staff man the Project Management Unit (PMU) of the Passport Seva Project. The working strength of the
CPO is 1985 as on 1 August, 2018. As an interim measure, 354 Data Entry Operators and 96 Office Assistants (MTS) have been deployed against the vacant non-Gazetted posts for smooth functioning of the Passport Offices through an Outsourced Agency to bridge
the gap between the sanctioned strength and the working strength of the non-gazetted posts
(c) & (d) No. The employees of the CPO have not been posted to other offices on deputation.
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