Wednesday, August 3 2005 17:22 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Government today (August 03, 2005) ruled out privatisation or outsourcing of any activity related to Passport Office even as the number of applications pending rose to 1,09,350 as on July 15, 2005.

This was stated by Rao Inderjit Singh, Minister of State for External Affairs, in Lok Sabha during Question Hour.

Replying to a question on whether some of the activities would be privatised, Singh said the Government considered the matter and decided not to privatise or outsource any of the activity to any agency.

He said the Home Ministry has taken up the issue of completing police verification, necessary for issuing passports, with State Governments.

The Government has also taken a decision to open Passport Offices at Dehradun and Raipur and to upgrade the existing Passport Application Collection Centre to a full-fledged Passport Office in Shimla.

Due to shortage of staff in the Central Passport Organisation, this decision has not been implemented, Singh said adding there was plan to open a new Passport Office in West Bengal.