RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.334
TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.12.2018
REQUIREMENT OF ADDITIONAL STAFF FOR PASSPORT OFFICES
334. SHRI A.K. SELVARAJ:
Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) whether it is a fact that there were 2,697 passport office employees in 2009-10 against approximately 60 lakh applications;
(b) whether there has been an increase of 65 lakh applications requiring appointment of additional 2,080 staff members;
(c) whether a large number of passport office employees have been posted at various other offices on deputation, causing 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 received was 1.17 crore in 2017. The number of passport applications received between 01.01.2018 and 30.11.2018 is 1.12 crore. The sanctioned strength as on 1 December, 2018, of Central Passport Organization (CPO) is
2741. It includes recently created 32 posts of Junior Hindi Translators, 9 posts of Senior Hindi Translators and 3 posts of Assistant Director (Official Language). In addition, 15 Technical and 6 supporting staff man the Project Management Unit (PMU) of the
Passport Seva Project. As an interim measure, 361 Data Entry Operators and 60 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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