MEA, Department of Posts Renew MoU to Enhance Passport Services
In a significant move, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Department of Posts have extended their collaboration with the renewal of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for another five years. This agreement ensures the continued provision of passport services through the Post Office Passport Seva Kendras (POPSKs) across India.
The MoU was signed by Ms. Manisha Bansal Badal, General Manager of the Business Development Directorate for the Department of Posts, and Dr. K.J. Srinivasa, Joint Secretary (PSP & CPO) from the MEA.
The renewed agreement will strengthen both the parties in ensuring that effective management and operational support would be there for the POPSKs, and the people would easily get quality passport services at their doorstep, through local post offices.
Launched in 2017, the Post Office Passport Seva Kendras (POPSKs) service has been instrumental in facilitating passport-related services to over 1.52 Crore citizens, particularly in rural and underserved areas, ensuring wider accessibility to passport services for citizens across India. The network of Post Office Passport Seva Kendras (POPSKs) has grown significantly over the years, with 442 centres currently operational nationwide.
This MoU strengthens the collaboration between the Ministry of External Affairs and the Department of Posts, aiming to enhance service delivery, streamline operations, and address the increasing demand for passport-related services. As part of this initiative, the number of Passport Seva Kendra’s is planned to be extended to 600 centres across the country by 2028-29, ensuring greater accessibility and convenience for citizens expanding the annual customer base from 35 lakh to 1 crore over the next five years,
This initiative reflects the collaborative effort of both ministries to improving the citizen experience by ensuring a seamless, accessible, and efficient passport issuance process. It will further strengthen India’s postal network, making passport services more convenient, reliable, and easily accessible to all citizens.
