RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.330
TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.12.2018
MERGER OF PASSPORT OFFICE WITH MINISTRY
330. SHRIMATI VIJILA SATHYANANTH:
Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) whether it is a fact that the passport employees have demanded that the authorities should consider merger of the passport office with the Ministry;
(b) if so, the details thereof and the steps taken by Government in this regard;
(c) whether many proposals approved by the Cabinet are yet to be implemented in the passport offices; and
(d) if so, the reasons there for?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
[GEN. (DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD)]
(a) Yes, the All India Passport Employees Association, a recognized staff association of the Central Passport Organisation (CPO), has requested the Ministry to consider merger of the CPO with the Ministry of External Affairs.
(b) The Central Passport Organisation (CPO) was established in 1959 as a Subordinate Office of the Ministry. A subordinate office functions as a field establishment which is responsible for the execution of the policies of the Government. Accordingly, the Ministry
set up the CPO as a Subordinate Office for delivery of passport related services as per the policies framed by the Ministry.
(c) & (d) No proposal approved by the Cabinet is pending for implementation by the Passport Offices under the Central Passport Organization.
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