MEA finds passport office best in country

Tribune News Service

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Chandigarh, July 1

The Regional Passport Office in Chandigarh has been awarded the first prize among passport offices across the country by the Ministry of External Affairs. 

Regional Passport Officer Sibash Kabiraj was awarded a certificate of “special recognition” by Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar and Sanjiv Arora, Secretary (CPV & OIA) in the MEA, at an event to commemorate Passpost Seva Day in Delhi in June. 

The passport office was awarded the prize for reducing pendency and complaints and increasing public access to the office. The office was also branded as “citizen oriented”, transparent and efficient. 

It was also credited with drastically reducing the time in which appointments for the issuance of passports are made from 45 days to six days.

The passport office catered to over 7 lakh people last year. 

It has also started undertaking initiatives to help wives abandoned by NRI husbands. The office recently held a conference to extend support to such women and is actively involved in impounding and revoking passports of men who abandon their wives. 

“We are thankful to the MEA for recognising the hard work of our staff. We will continue to serve the public,” said Kabiraj.