13254 - Passport rules lauded; Siliguri centre short-staffed - The Statesman

Passport rules lauded; Siliguri centre short-staffed

Roshan Gupta | Siliguri | April 10, 2018 4:46 am

                              Passport Seva Kendra

As Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) officials in Siliguri announced that issuance of fresh passport had become easier after the government made submission of the Aadhaar card ‘not mandatory,’ people have welcomed such a decision and said those still waiting for their Aadhaar cards can now at least get their passport work done.

An applicant can now submit any three of the 12 documents enlisted for a passport application. However, PSK officials here say the office is short of staff, while the volume of work has gone up with the increase in the number of applicants.

The services offered under the PSK are fresh passport, reissue, tatkal passport and Police Clearance Certificate (PCC), it is learnt. Assistant passport officer Mahuwa Banerjee maintained that the PSK will entertain applicants with online appointments alone.

“Issuance of fresh passport has become much easy now as out of the 12 documents enlisted, the applicant has to submit any three, wherein the Aadhaar card submission is not mandatory,” said Mr Banerjee.

“I am happy with the decision that aAadhaar is not mandatory for applying for a passport. This is a welcome step, and the decision will surely lessen the burden of applicants who are still waiting for their Aadhaar card,” said an applicant.

Another applicant Aarti Chhetri, who is seeking to go abroad for work and who is about to apply for a passport, however, said, “The move does not affect me as I have an Aadhar card and attaching it would not be a hassle for me.”

On the number of applications the PSK entertains per day, Mr Banerjee said, “As per orders, we have been receiving 100 applications for normal and reissuance of passports, 10 for tatkal passports and 10 PCC daily through the online process.”

“Though we can process 120 applicants every day, we do not receive that many applications as some people do not turn up. However, the PSK is short of staff, owing to the large number of applicants. However, the processing work has not been hampered as of now,” Mr Banerjee added.

Drishita Chakraborty, who is waiting for her Aadhar card, and who desperately needs a passport to fly to Dubai on a working visa, is elated. “This news has given great relief to me. I will instantly apply for a passport, and soon hope to join my brother in Dubai,” she said.

The PSK at Himanchal Bihar at Matigara in Siliguri, which has come up on a 4327 sq ft area of a building owned by the Siliguri Jalpaiguri Development Authority (SJDA), was inaugurated by Darjeeling MP and Union minister of state for drinking water and sanitation SS Ahluwalia on 17 February, while the office began work on 19 February.

12176 - Fake ‘originals’ leave passport officials in a tight spot - The Hindu

Fake ‘originals’ leave passport officials in a tight spot

K.C. Deepika

BENGALURU, OCTOBER 03, 2017 00:00 IST

Fake documents are no longer the big cause for concern for passport-issuing authorities. Original documents such as Aadhaar and PAN card, submitted by applicants who later turn out to have provided false information, are proving to be the real challenge.

Around two months ago, the Bengaluru Regional Passport Office (RPO) received a rude shock when two people who were issued passports from the office were arrested in West Bengal in separate cases. They were later found to be immigrants from Bangladesh.

“We instantly know which ones are fake. We refer suspect documents to the police. But here the documents they submitted were valid. We wanted to file a police complaint, but as they were apprehended in West Bengal, the police there are investigating the case,” said Bharath Kumar Kuthati, Regional Passport Officer, Bengaluru.

“In these cases, they managed to get passports based on authentic documents such as PAN card, Aadhaar card and EPIC. But these were obtained illegally. That makes it all the more serious. This is a risky proposition as we rely on these documents,” said Mr. Kuthati.

Significantly, passport applications are subject to police verification before the sanctioning of the official document, which is also a certificate of citizenship. Last year, the Ministry of External Affairs further simplified certain passport procedures, including the application for a new one for certain categories of applicants.

The Bengaluru RPO issued over 6.44 lakh passports in 2016. This year, 4.52 lakh passports were issued till August 11.

However, the Bengaluru police say such cases are few and far between. City Police Commissioner T. Suneel Kumar said the cases brought to their notice are dealt with on a “specific case basis”.

“If they are found with bogus certificates, we can book criminal cases against them for forgery. But when it comes to originals, we have to verify with the issuing authorities,” Mr. Kumar added.

Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) officials, however, said Aadhaar is not proof of citizenship. “Rather, it is only an enabler for identification. For example, once issued with a card, ‘A’ cannot claim to be ‘B’. Whoever has a proof of identity and address, and has lived here for the preceding 182 days, is enrolled. We capture biometrics too, and after all this a unique identity number is issued. Our duty ends there,” an official said.

Criminal count

The development comes at a time when the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) figures for ‘crimes committed by foreigners’ in 2015 was pegged at 1,278.

As many as 2,057 foreigners were arrested during that period, with arrests under the Passport Act (143) second only to cases registered under the Foreigners Act (1,367). As many as 73 persons were arrested for forgery.

The maximum number of arrests were made in West Bengal (1,185), followed by Maharashtra (176), New Delhi (168), Karnataka (102), Tamil Nadu and Goa (both 69). Karnataka and Maharashtra also reported the highest number of foreigners arrested for cheating (20 and 15, respectively).

10716 - Aadhaar-tatkal passport scheme has few takers - TNN

Aadhaar-tatkal passport scheme has few takers

Krishnendu Bandyopadhyay | TNN | Dec 13, 2016, 09.42 AM IST

KOLKATA: Way back in January, the ministry of external affairs launched a scheme, under which applicants--on the lines of tatkal--could get a passport within seven days, before police verification, but without having to pay extra or submitting a proof of "urgency". All that they have to submit were copies of their Aadhaar cards, EPICs (electoral photo identity card), PAN (Permanent Account Number) cards and self-declarations that they did not have any criminal record. However, apparently owing to poor awareness, only a handful of people from Kolkata region have availed of the facility with most going in for the normal, longwinding process.

So far, the Kolkata region has issued only 1,686 passports under the Aadhaar-linked scheme, though the city unit alone processes 1,600 applications every day . The Kolkata region serves three states, Bengal, Tripura and Sikkim through four of its passport seva kendras (PSKs). 

"It was a revolutionary step announced by the ministry of external affairs. As the police verification is scheduled after the passport is issued, the applicants can get their passports within seven days and they do not even have to pay extra, unlike under the ordinary tatkal facility ," said Bibhuti Bhushan Kumar, regional passport officer, Kolkata. In case of the tatkal scheme, passports are issued within almost the same time but applicants have to furnish Annexure F, a verification certificate by a senior government officer. Very few officers are ready to issue such a certificate as they are often held responsible for any misdeed by the applicants; anyone issuing "incorrect verification certificate" could be prosecuted under section 12(2) of the Passports Act, 1967. Besides, for tatkal, applicants have to submit a proof of urgency .

But in case of Aadhaar, no such proof is required. Applicants face the most trouble in getting passports due to the long-drawn police verification procedure that can take 10 days to 300 days in Bengal. "But now that the police have started using the mobile app, mPassport, to submit the police verification report, the process has started becoming faster and less troublesome. We are receiving reports within 10 days. The Biddhannagar Commissionerate will next use mPassport app," said Kumar. With the online facility of uploading inspected documents to the central system from the spot, the mPassport system has proved to be a game-changer.

10363 - Fake Aadhaar troubles passport officials in city - TNN

Fake Aadhaar troubles passport officials in city

TNN | Aug 27, 2016, 05.59 AM IST

Visakhapatnam: Fake Aadhaar cards have hit the passport application process at the regional passport office (RPO) in Visakhapatnam.

According to sources, on an average,the RPO daily receives 1,350 to 1,400 applications from its jurisdiction covering eight districts from Srikakulam to Guntur.

"Of the total applications, we find nearly 15% of them are attached with fake Aadhaar cards. Anyone can easily confirm them as fake by tallying the details on the card in both sides. This apart, we also have Aadhaar data of the region," said a senior passport officer on condition of anonymity. He said recently, 15 such cases were identified from West Godavari. Most of the fake Aadhaar cards were found with change of address, change of age and Aadhaar number also.

Applications with fake Aadhaar cards are making it difficult for passports to be issued for genuine applicants, the passport officer said.

"We have to take re-verification and extra care on the applications found with fake documents," the passport officer said.

Most of the fake Aadhaar cards come from places within Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) limits, Godavari districts, Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Krishna and Guntur, the passport sources said.

Quoting an RTI statement that Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) identified more than 25,000 duplicate Aadhaar numbers in the country last year, CPI state leader JVV Satyanarayana Murthy said no proper enforcement measures were being taken to stop this menace.

"In India, everything is possible. Monica Bedi (Abu Salem's girlfriend) got a passport from Kurnool. This is because of the loopholes in the system," Murthy said.

When contacted, Visakhapatnam joint collector J Nivas said there were chances of fake Aadhaars due to malpractice by brokers. "I don't think it will happen at the government authorised centres like Mee-Seva. However, we are ready to take action if anything goes wrong," Nivas said.

9674 - From April 1, ration cards will not be valid proof for passport application - Indian Express

From April 1, ration cards will not be valid proof for passport application

While state govt wants to make ration card Aadhaar-linked, the Centre has said that ration card will no longer be considered as address proof.

Written by Nisha Nambiar | Pune | Published:March 28, 2016 12:30 am - See more at: 

WHILE THE state government is making all efforts to link the ration card with Aadhaar cards, the document, however, will no longer be accepted as a proof of identity and address along with passport application. The central government has issued a notice to this effect, which the Regional Passport Office said, would come into effect from April 1.

The External Affairs Ministry has directed all passport branches to comply with the orders. Earlier, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution had on December 20 last year discontinued accepting ration card as proof of identity and residence. The ministry had come across cases where the details on the card had been tampered with.

RELATED ARTICLE

• ‘Only nine out of 52 lakh holders linked Aadhaar to ration cards’
• ‘Ration card fraud’: HC notice to Centre, Delhi govt
• Ration cards to get Aadhaar link in district to find right beneficiaries
• Govt plans to ‘link’ ration cards with Aadhaar
• I-T dept may make date of birth proof mandatory for PAN card
• HC dismisses MNS plea against ration card as identity proof
• ‘Only nine out of 52 lakh holders linked Aadhaar to ration cards’
• ‘Ration card fraud’: HC notice to Centre, Delhi govt
• Ration cards to get Aadhaar link in district to find right beneficiaries
• Govt plans to ‘link’ ration cards with Aadhaar
• I-T dept may make date of birth proof mandatory for PAN card
• HC dismisses MNS plea against ration card as identity proof
• ‘Only nine out of 52 lakh holders linked Aadhaar to ration cards’
• ‘Ration card fraud’: HC notice to Centre, Delhi govt
• Ration cards to get Aadhaar link in district to find right beneficiaries
• Govt plans to ‘link’ ration cards with Aadhaar
• I-T dept may make date of birth proof mandatory for PAN card
• HC dismisses MNS plea against ration card as identity proof

According to the passport officials, the ration card cannot verify the authenticity of an applicant, as people can make changes to it easily. “When they migrate, they alter the details to be able to misuse the card for various purposes,” said officials from the passport office.

All passports offices have to now make the necessary changes on their portals, run a ticker informing the public that ration card is no longer a valid proof of identity or address.

Besides the ration card, the other valid proof of address are water bill, Aadhaar card, income-tax assessment order, proof of gas connection, registered rent agreement, photo passbook of active bank account, electricity bill, and the passport copy of spouse.

Regional passport officer Atul Gotsurve said,” Presently, along with the ration card, we were asking for another address proof that made it almost negligent. However, with the present order from the government, we will make it mandatory. “It is a good move and we would be implementing it from April 1,’’ said Gotsurve.

Meanwhile, Pune district is all set to complete its target of linking ration cards with Aadhaar cards. The district which has 16 lakh ration cards has nearly 52 lakh beneficiaries. The department has covered 65 per cent of them but with another 18 lakh beneficiaries to be covered, the administration is set to carry out the exercise in three categories-the total number of Aadhaar cards collected for the exercise and yet to be seeded with ration cards, the number of Aadhaar cards yet to be collected and the number of beneficiaries who are not alive or have shifted.

The entire effort to link ration cards with Aadhaar cards is to weed out bogus beneficiaries. Earlier, the state was given time till December 31 last year to digitise date on food procurement system, godowns, ration cards, supply chain and open transparency portals inorder to seed Aadhaar card data. The new deadline now is March 2016. The Centre is aiming big on Aadhaar-based biometric authentication which it plans to roll out at all fair price shops across the country by year-end.

- See more at: http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/from-april-1-ration-cards-will-not-be-valid-proof-for-passport-application/#sthash.qX7Nx1VQ.dpuf

http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/from-april-1-ration-cards-will-not-be-valid-proof-for-passport-application/#sthash.qX7Nx1VQ.dpuf

- See more at: http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/from-april-1-ration-cards-will-not-be-valid-proof-for-passport-application/#sthash.qX7Nx1VQ.dpuf

9322 - Police to get app for passport checks - TNN

Police to get app for passport checks

TNN | Feb 4, 2016, 05.26 AM IST

CHENNAI: Passport applicants complaining about delays in police verification can now breathe easy as a new app promises to speed up the process. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has recently developed the Passport Police App to help verification officers directly capture the report into the system digitally. Addressing the media on Wednesday, regional passport officer K Balamurugan said field level police officers conducting verification will be given smartphones or tablets to key in all the details into the system, cutting down on cumbersome paper work. 

First time passport applicants will be issued passports within three days provided they furnish Aadhaar card, Election Photo Identity Card (EPIC), Permanent Account Number (PAN) and an affidavit stating that there is no police case or criminal record against their names. Police verification will be done after the passport is delivered to the applicant.

Balamurugan said this would enable faster issue of passports without any additional fee subject to successful online validation of Aadhaar number. In addition, EPIC and PAN card will also be validated, if required, from the respective databases. In order to further streamline the system, applicants will now be given a wi de option of choosing any da te from the earliest five available working days whi le scheduling or rescheduling an appointment for pas sport related services.

Balamurugan added that the centre will take up with the Tamil Nadu Director General of Police the issue of providing smartphones and tablets to policemen for verification. Tamil Nadu issued 2.8 lakh passports last year The regional passport office here issued 3,970 passports to applicants who were affected by the floods.

9317 - Aadhaar card to help get passport in three days - Hindu Business Line

Aadhaar card to help get passport in three days

OUR BUREAU

First-time passport applicants can receive their passports in three days under normal category by furnishing Aadhaar card along with two other identity proof for verification.

Addressing the media, K Balamurugan, Regional Passport Officer, said that with 96 crore people having Aadhaar cards, the new procedure will enable faster issue of passport without incurring additional fee. The new procedure can be availed at ₹1,500, as opposed to ₹3,500 for tatkal passport.

Five-day window

For the new procedure, the applicants have to provide voter’s ID and Permanent Account Number (PAN) along with an affidavit in the form of Annexure – I available at passport India portal.

The applicants are also given a window of five days for scheduling an appointment with passport seva kendra from the current one day.

To further reduce the time taken for police verification, the Ministry of External Affairs will deploy mPassport Police App for speedy submission of the verification report.

(This article was published on February 4, 2016

9290 - Now get passport before police verification - Hindustan Times

Now get passport before police verification

• HT Correspondents, Hindustan Times |  Updated: Jan 26, 2016 10:39 IST

By a new decision of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the procedure has been relaxed. Fresh applicants will still have to submit notary’s affidavit, besides a copy each of Aadhaar, voter’s identity, and PAN cards.

Getting passport is going to take less than a week now, as police verification is going to be after and not before.

Presently, the police verification of fresh normal applicants is done before the passport is issued. By a new decision of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the procedure has been relaxed. Fresh applicants will still have to submit notary’s affidavit, besides a copy each of Aadhaar, voter’s identity, and PAN cards.

“Processing on post-police-verification basis will enable issuing of passport in just five-to-seven days without the payment of additional tatkaal fee, subject to online validation of Aadhaar number. Elector’s photo-identity card (EPIC) and PAN card may also be validated, if required, from the respective databases,” Chandigarh’s regional passport officer Rakesh Agrawal explained in a statement issued on Monday, adding: “If the applicants do not have any of the three cards, then the police verification procedure will apply as existing.”

Earlier, police verification for passport took 49 days, which was reduced to 42 in 2014, 34 in 2015, and 21 the same year.

In 2015, the passport offices in India and the Indian missions and posts abroad rendered nearly 1.2 crore passport-related services. On December 31, 2015, nearly 6.33 crore Indians held valid passports.

BOOK APPOINTMENT AT YOUR CONVENIENCE

The MEA now allows applicants to book an appointment at their convenience and any date of choice from the earliest five working days for the selected Passport Seva Kendra (PSK). So far, the Passport Seva system fixed appointment based on availability and first-in-firstout (FIFO) principle.

Now at the time of booking an appointment online, applicants will be redirected to a ‘pay and book appointment’ screen, where they can selected a date from the displayed calendar.

Applicants have to fill an online form and submit fee for scheduling an appointment through the Passport Seva system to visit the PSK later for further processing of their application.

8969 - For a Bangladeshi, an Indian passport costs Rs 30,000 - TNN e Paper

Oct 19 2015 : Mirror (Mumbai) For a Bangladeshi, an Indian passport costs Rs 30,000 The Bangladeshi citizens were arrested after the Thane unit of AntiTerrorism Squad raided a few locations in Bhiwandi. What they found on the Bangladeshis stunned them: 10 Aadhar cards, 10 PAN cards and two Indian passports. The documents were genuine but created on the back of bogus documents.It's one of the biggest open se crets but the arrest of a gang of 20 Bangladeshis has revealed something new ­ a rate card for government-issued identification papers. In the course of the investigation, the Bangladeshis revealed that a rate card exists for people like them to establish their Indian nationality.While it costs Rs 7,000 for a PAN card, an Aadhar card or a ration card can be procured by paying Rs 9,000. A passport, however, comes for anywhere between Rs 25,000 and Rs 30,000. The illegal migrants have to pay Rs 5-7,000 per head at the international border to cross over. Once in Maharashtra, they are made to stay in industrial slum clusters like Bhiwandi and MIDC Thane. It is here that bogus birth certificates and proof of residence are procured. Once that is done, acquiring PAN and Aadhar cards becomes easy. And the next logical step is a passport, which gives them a whole new nationality. “Once a passport is made, no one can doubt their nationality. Though the group sneaked into India for a better job, it's not only a major security breach but also a threat to national security,“ a source told Mumbai Mirror. Special Inspector General of Police Niket Kaushik told Mirror that all the arrested Bangladeshis were produced before a special holiday court and remanded in police custody till October 23. The ATS team is now looking for the gang that arranges bogus documents for illegal migrants and has zeroed in on some suspects.

8580 - Passport office now linked to Aadhaar database - TNN

Passport office now linked to Aadhaar database

TNN | Aug 21, 2015, 03.41 AM IST

PUNE: Passport seekers having Aadhaar numbers may have to go through another round of credential checks when they submit their applicants at the Passport Seva Kendra in Mundhwa.

From August 21, the city-based Regional Passport Office (RPO) will be digitally integrated with the UIDAI (Unique Identification Authority of India) database for validating Aadhaar numbers submitted by applicants as proof of identity and address. However, there will be no change in the earlier process as the applicants will have to submit all documents specified on the RPO website.

The interlinking will benefit applicants from Pune (city and rural), Ahmednagar, Kolhapur, Sangli, Satara and Solapur (city and rural). The linkage with the Aadhaar database, done to make the passport issuance process simpler, more secure and reliable, has been successfully piloted at seven passport seva kendras across the country, a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs stated.

Regional passport officer Atul Gotsurve expressed confidence in successful implementation of Aadhaar interlinking in the city. "Our system and computers have been updated. This is a step forward in the passport issuance process which will help reduce cases of identity theft. The biggest advantage of integrating the RPO with UID database is that the applicant's credentials, including photo identity, will be verified by the granting officer before the application is accepted," Gotsurve said.

The passport officer said the integration process has other benefits too. "In future, re-issue applications may be given the benefit of a successful match with the Aadhaar database thus reducing paperwork," he said.

The passport database has more than 60 million valid passports. The ministry, in coordination with the UIDAI, is working on collecting Aadhaar numbers of the applicants through crowd-sourcing (through web-services/ SMS/Integrated Voice Response System), in accordance with seeding tools available for organic seeding, a statement issued by the ministry said.

8556 - 6 Hyderabad Cops Under Scanner For Providing Passport to Terrorists? - Indian Express

6 Hyderabad Cops Under Scanner For Providing Passport to Terrorists?

By Mouli Mareedu

Published: 17th August 2015 03:15 AM

HYDERABAD:  Six constables attached to the Special Branch (SB) wing are under the scanner for their connivance with the four terror operatives arrested a couple of days back. Investigators say the constables might have accepted huge amounts as bribes and helped four illegal immigrants, including a Pakistan national, who have links with terror outfits to obtain Indian passports in Hyderabad.

“There is no doubt that the passports were obtained by the four accused with the assistance of SB constables. During our probe, we identified about six constables and are suspecting their involvement. After questioning the constables, we will take the accused into police custody and question them to cross check the details we collected from the SB constables,’’ said a senior police officer who is investigating the case. 

Once the investigators arrive to a conclusion regarding SB constables’ involvement, the police would arrest them.

The police also wanted to widen the investigation as to how the accused managed to get other identification cards like Aadhaar and Voter ID cards.The city police is also planning to serve notices on the staff of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) for issuing voter ID and Aadhaar cards to the accused on fictitious names and addresses.

Investigators want to probe into the role of GHMC and UIDAI officials in issuing Aadhaar and Voter id cards without proper verification.

Police, ahead of Independence day celebrations, had  arrested Mohammed Nasir, a Bangladesh native who migrated to Pakistan and later came to India, Bangladeshis Faizal Mohamoud and Joynal Abedin, and Myanmar national Zia-Ur-Rehman, along with two local agents Mohd Masood Ali Khan of Chanchalguda and Sohail Parvez Khan of Balapur.

The accused obtained four Indian passports, one Bangladesh Passport, around 100 ID proofs like Voter ID cards, Aadhaar cards, birth certificates, passport delivery envelopes, affidavits from various departments in the city.

Police said when Nasir was in Pakistan, he came in contact with his distant relative Abdul Jabbar, a Bangladeshi settled in Pakistan, and a leader of banned terrorist organisation Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HUJI). Abdul Jabbar indoctrinated Nasir with terrorist ideology and sent him to India with nefarious designs.

Accordingly, Mohd Nasir entered India through Indo-Bangla border in 2010 and stayed in various places before moving to Jalpally, Cyberabad. In the city, Nasir got in touch with Sohail Parvez Khan. Through Sohail, he came into contact with Masood Ali Khan, who is owner of a Xerox centre at Chanchalguda.

Nasir used to host illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, Myanmar and provide them shelter in the residence of Masood Ali Khan at Chanchalguda and arrange voter ID cards, Aadhaar cards by by bribing officials.

8512 - RPO to grant passport with Aadhaar integration - TNN

RPO to grant passport with Aadhaar integration

Melvyn Reggie Thomas,TNN | Aug 13, 2015, 04.36 PM IST

SURAT: With a view to make the Passport issuance process simpler, more secure and reliable, the regional passport office (RPO) will integrated its Passport Seve Kendra (PSK) with Aadhaar database starting from August 21. 

An initiative has been taken by the Ministry of External Affairs to digitally integrate Passport issuance procedure with the UID database for validating the Aadhaar number, submitted by the passport applicant, as a Proof of Identity and Proof of Address. 

The integration has been successfully piloted at some PSKs across different states in past few weeks. The project is now ready for a pan-India roll-out. 

With this integration, those applicants who provide their Aadhaar details at the time of filling up the online application form, can expect an instant online verification of Aadhaar details thereby making it easier and convenient for the processing officers to consider his case for granting of passport. 

The RPO has advised the applicants to fill up the the Aadhaar number correctly in their application right at the time of filling up of online form. Once the application is submitted and an appointment is taken with PSK, inclusion or changes in Aadhaar details may not be possible at PSK. Thus the benefit of Aadhar integration can be be taken by those who do not provide their Aadhar details at the time of filling applications online and subsequently produce Aadhar Card at PSK.

8279 - Police verification for passports to go online - TNN

Police verification for passports to go online

Bharti Jain, TNN | Jul 13, 2015, 03.23AM IST

NEW DELHI: Police verification for issue/renewal of passports will soon be an online affair, allowing its timeframe to be cut from the existing 20 days to less than a week.Under the new arrangement, the processing time for police verification for passports will be cut to less than a week from the existing 20 days.

The home ministry is set to allow all SP-level police officers access to databases such as National Population Register (NPR), Aadhaar and Electoral Photo I-Card via the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network System (CCTNS) to enable online verification of identity, address and criminal record, if any, of the passport applicant. 

Though the online check, for now, will be backed up with the usual physical verification by the local police, the ultimate aim is to fully eliminate the need for a doorstep check for all categories of passports. According to sources, the linking of CCTNS with NPR, UID and EPIC will enable the SP (superintendent of police) to match the photo and address provided in the passport application with the applicant's NPR, Aadhaar and EPIC records. Also, any criminal history of the applicant may be verified using CCTNS, which seeks to e-integrate police station records and systems across the country. 

"We hope to have the online system for police verification in place by November. We expect the funding under CCTNS, which was not allocated any resources in this year's budget, to be cleared after the PM returns from his foreign tour. It will take us another 3-4 months to integrate the databases and have the technical infrastructure in place," a senior home ministry official said. 

Under the new arrangement, the processing time for police verification will be cut to less than a week from the existing 20 days (13-14 days for applicants based in Delhi), the official said. 

This is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent direction to the foreign and home ministries — conveyed during his June 24 review under Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation ( PRAGATI) -- to work towards quicker processing of passport services. 

READ ALSO: MEA issues new passport application guidelines 

As per an agreement reached between the foreign ministry, the issuing authority for passports, and the home ministry, while a police verification request for issue of fresh passport would be triggered only after the scheduled appointment at Passport Seva Kendra, in case of applications relating to Tatkal, renewals and blue passports (issued to government servants), the police verification may be initiated immediately upon receipt of the application. 

"The online integration of CCTNS with NPR, UID an EPIC will help SPs verify at the click of a mouse the photo, address and criminal history of the applicant. This may also be followed, as per the SP's discretion, by a physical verification. Eventually, of course, the requirement of physical police verification will be totally done away with," the home ministry official said. 

READ ALSO: Want passport quickly? Tatkal is the only way 

Incidentally, this online system for police verification will not be limited to passport services alone. The home ministry plans to extend it to police verification of tenants, domestic servants, new government recruits and even to background checks of prospective employees by companies.

7993 - Month before Aadhaar deadline: Over 40 crore people still left out - Indian Express

Month before Aadhaar deadline: Over 40 crore people still left out

Aadhaar the basis of several fresh proposals, including introducing Aadhaar-based biometric systems in all Central government offices.

Since September last year, when the target was set, less than 20 crore people have been added to the Aadhaar population.

Written by Ruhi Tewari | Mumbai | Published on:May 19, 2015 2:24 am

Despite the decisive push given to it by the NDA government since it came to power and by Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself, the ambitious Aadhaar project is far from meeting its target of universal coverage by June this year, also impacting the Direct Benefits Transfer Scheme that is based on it.

While the PM had himself set the deadline of June 2015 for universal enrollment under Aadhaar at a high-level meeting chaired by him in the first week of September last year, the current enrollment figure under the project is only nearly 84 crore as of now. This means that nearly 40 crore of the population is yet to be brought under its ambit. Even the initial target set by this government of 100 crore enrollment at the “earliest” is yet to be achieved.

Government officials say there is absolutely “no possibility” of meeting the target next month and the possibility of even being able to do so by the end of this year also looks remote. Since September last year, when the target was set, less than 20 crore people have been added to the Aadhaar population.

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• Pm Modi Orders Aadhaar Cards For All By June 2015
• Aadhaar Link To Passports
• Aadhaar, Dbt Get A Lifeline, Modi To Retain, Push Upa Schemes

According to officials, while the Unique Identification Authority of India is not restricted in terms of its processing capabilities, ground level issues are a matter of concern in meeting the target. With enrollment in states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar being very low, it has been difficult to increase enrollment figures significantly.

Aadhaar, which provides a unique 12-digit identity number based on biometrics to every resident of the country, was initiated by the Congress led UPA government. The NDA government had endorsed both Aadhaar and the DBT schemes during a high-level meeting in early July where Modi sought a 100-crore enrollment target under Aadhaar at the “earliest”. 

The PM had asked officials to link the recently launched e-passport system with Aadhaar by using the biometric data collected under the latter. 

Officials were also asked to implement the DBT scheme in 300 districts on a priority basis with respect to five key government schemes — MGNREGA, pensions, scholarships, Public Distribution System.

The NDA government had also made Aadhaar the basis of several fresh proposals, including introducing Aadhaar-based biometric systems in all Central government offices. 

Modi’s ambitious financial inclusion plan ‘Jan Dhan Yojana’ also relies on Aadhaar.

However, delayed Aadhaar enrollment has meant the government has been unable to give the planned push to DBT as well. The absence of a legal backing for Aadhaar has proved to be a hindrance, with the National Identification Authority of India Bill in cold storage. Officials say the Supreme Court orders instructing the government from making Aadhaar mandatory for any services have limited the ability to maximise enrollment.

7952 - - Online verification to end hassle of chasing officers - Telegraph India

- Online verification to end hassle of chasing officers 

Monalisa Chaudhuri

A set of three identity documents, at least one of them verifiable over the Internet, would spare Tatkal passport applicants the hassle of getting a authentication certificate from "a competent authority", according to a new proposal.

An Aadhaar card, along with two identity documents from a list of 16 mentioned in the official website of the Passport Seva portal, would suffice to support a Tatkal application if the person fails to procure the said certificate, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) has recommended.

The first step towards making the Tatkal passport procedure easier yet foolproof was a pilot project launched in Delhi last month to link Aadhaar data with the Passport Seva system. Ranchi and five more regional passport offices across India - Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai and Vizag - joined the network on Monday, enabling passport officials to check a person's Aadhaar details online.

Regional passport officer, Ranchi, Sanatan confirmed that they had had a trial run on Saturday and officially joined the network on Monday. "The Aadhaar number of an applicant on his form is now leading us to a link where we can download the original card for verification," he said.

Finding an official authorised to vouch for an applicant's credentials is the toughest part of applying for a Tatkal passport, more so after several bureaucrats have been blacklisted for allegedly issuing false verification certificates.

"If anyone submits an endorsement letter from officers of SP-rank, director of any department or deputy commissioner and so on, we demand a copy of the official's current ID and the letter should be drafted on his/her letterhead. Often these authentication certificates are forged. So, we write back to officers concerned for reconfirmation before processing Tatkal passport," the regional passport officer explained the cumbersome process.

Sanatan agreed that integration of the Aadhaar database with the Passport Seva system would have multiple benefits. "We will be able to verify the credentials of an applicant online through Aadhaar and two other identity documents matching those mentioned in the list. Once that happens, we don't need Annexure F (the format for a verification certificate) for a Tatkal application," he added.

Data regarding other identity documents such as a voter ID would be made available to passport officials digitally, enabling quick verification of Tatkal passport applications.

EPIC (elector's photo identity card) data can currently be verified on the EC website but it needs to be made available to passport officials over a protected network. "More the number of Internet-verifiable documents, greater the authenticity of the applicant's information. It also reduces the chances of forgery," a Passport Seva functionary said.

ID cards of government employees, SC/ST/OBC certificates and property documents are some of the others mentioned in the list of 16.

The MEA had previously tried to replace the verification certificate with a bunch of identity documents but the plan was aborted after multiple cases of forgery were reported by regional passport offices.

Annexure F is currently mandatory to back up a Tatkal application although the official website www.passportindia.gov.in mentions that "any three documents" from a list of 16 can be presented in lieu of a verification certificate.

Many applicants are confused by web information. "It is mentioned that three identity documents can replace Annexure F for a Tatkal application. I took the necessary documents along to appear for my interview at the Passport Seva Kendra, only to be told that Annexure F was mandatory," an applicant complained.

An official in the passport wing of the MEA pleaded helplessness. "The previous initiative to make the Tatkal procedure easier was never called off officially, which is why the information on the website hasn't been altered either."

The official said Internet-verifiable identity documents would remove any doubt passport officials might have about a Tatkal application.

Additional reporting by A.S.R.P. Mukesh

7891 - Soon, passport authorities to verify applicant identity with Aadhaar database - TNN

Soon, passport authorities to verify applicant identity with Aadhaar database

Tarini Puri,TNN | May 1, 2015, 12.46 AM IST

The connectivity is currently being tested by the ministry of external affairs at the Regional Passport Office in Delhi and is expected to be gradually extended to the entire country. 

PUNE: The inter-linking of Aadhaar numbers with the passport issuance process is set to become a reality. The connectivity is currently being tested by the ministry of external affairs at the Regional Passport Office in Delhi and is expected to be gradually extended to the entire country. 

Once in place, the new system will allow passport issuing authorities to cross check particulars furnished by an applicant with those registered in the Aadhaar database, including the biometric imprint. The ministry hopes that this added layer of cross-verification will add value to the process of authenticating the identity of citizens for issuance of passports. 

Officials, however, clarified that citizens who are yet to get the Aadhaar card will not be denied a passport. The inter-linking is just a second layer of security check, officials explained.

The trial, underway at a couple of Passport Seva Kendras in the jurisdiction of the regional passport office of Delhi since the first week of April, is expected to conclude in the next couple of days. According to senior ministry officials, the system has been working satisfactorily, barring minor teething troubles. The ministry hopes to close all gaps before rolling out this upgrade at all its 37 passport offices across the country. 

Detailing the process, Anil Kumar Sobti, director of the passport division, told TOI, "In a fully operational system, once an applicant provides his biometric imprint for the passport, the system will scan the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) server for its match. The applicant's profile registered in the Aadhaar system will be authenticated with the particulars furnished by the applicant sitting in the PSK for his passport, including his face and other details". 

According to initial reports, the connectivity is quick and allows cross verification in a timely manner. 

However, despite the cross-verification of credentials, no change is currently expected in the process of police verification which is carried out prior to issuance of the passport. Explaining its expected positioning, Sobti said, "The Aadhaar card will only make the authentication more reliable. As of now, there are no plans of doing away with the police verification for the issuance of the passport. In fact, the police verification will help to verify other particulars of the applicant, including his Indian citizenship and criminal antecedents. The ministry may consider changing this system if and when the passports office gets linked to the database of the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS)". 

Joint secretary in the ministry and chief passport officer Muktesh K Pardeshi clarified that Aadhaar will not be compulsory for securing a passport. "If the applicant furnishes an Aadhaar card along with even one other identification proof, and the details recorded in both are identical, then the confidence level of the passport issuing authority goes up automatically," he said.

Confirming the ongoing testing, Aman Puri, Delhi's regional passport officer, said, "All PSKs in Delhi are equipped with the necessary infrastructure for the new system. The trial is being conducted by the technical team of the ministry. The system will be officially rolled out not just in Delhi, but all other RPOs, once officials are satisfied with the test results". 

7455 - Easier paperwork for passports - Private bank account okay as proof - Telegraph India

Easier paperwork for passports - Private bank account okay as proof

Our Special Correspondent

Applying for passports has just become a wee bit easier with the regional sanctioning authority in Ranchi deciding to accept documents of non-public sector banks as address proof following a formal go-ahead from the ministry of external affairs.

Regional passport officer Sanatan made the leniency in rule public on Wednesday, underlining that the move was aimed at extending "greater convenience" to passport applicants in Jharkhand and other states.

"Earlier, only passbooks of PSU banks like SBI and Bank of India were accepted as proof of address. Now, non-PSU banks like HDFC and ICICI have received clearance from the Union ministry. However, these private banks must be scheduled ones registered with the Reserve Bank of India," Sanatan said, adding that the bank account of the applicant should be at least a year old for the passbook to qualify as address proof.

In this age of automated teller machines and Internet and phone banking, most private banks in the country do not offer passbooks to customers unlike their public sector counterparts. So, what document should an applicant furnish as address proof?

"In such a case, a bank statement affixed with a photograph of the account holder should be attested by bank. The objective of having a passbook or a statement with photograph is to ensure that there is no fraud. Moreover, bank documents are just one of the many address proof options. Applicants can also provide telephone or electricity bills, ration card, Aadhaar card, IT return slip, gas connection bill, voter ID, etc. The reason we have included passbooks of private banks is just to offer more options to applicants," said Sanatan.

Kishore Singh, a marketing executive with an FMCG company, welcomed the decision, saying it would help many like him who didn't have a permanent address in Ranchi. "I have been living as a paying guest here for over a year and hence, do not have gas connection or Aadhaar card. However, I do have a year-old salary account with a private bank in Ranchi. Now, it will be easier for me to apply," said Singh, a native of Patna, Bihar.

The regional passport office is all set to hold a two-day camp at Kala Kendra in Sector II of Bokaro steel city from February 28 to March 1. Similar camps have been held in Hazaribagh and Jamshedpur to offer on-the-spot solution to passport problems.

The passport officer said that for the first time, the camp in Bokaro would also entertain applications from other districts. "Earlier, a district camp was meant for only local residents. Now, anyone can attend the camp after making an online booking," he said.

7420 - Now U.P. to enrol 3.5 lakh people for Aadhaar everyday - The Hindu

LUCKNOW, February 20, 2015

Now U.P. to enrol 3.5 lakh people for Aadhaar everyday

SANDEEP JOSHI

With an aim of generating unique “'Aadhaar” numbers for almost 20 crore residents of Uttar Pradesh, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has now stepped up its drive by enrolling 3.5-lakh resident everyday and so far covering 40 per cent of the State’s population.

Aadhaar of more than eight crore residents has been generated so far.

Now, to accelerate the pace of enrolment in the state, 2,000 enrolment centres have been opened across the state where about 8000 enrolment kits have been deployed that are being operated by 66 enrolment agencies, officials in UIDAI's Lucknow regional office said.

For Uttar Pradesh, the UIDAI has initiated several steps to give impetus to the enrolment process, which includes organising training and certification camps for operating agencies. Over 2,000 operators have already been granted certification while the Authority plans to enrol more operators to speed up the process, they said.

The UIDAI's Lucknow office is also keeping a close eye on all the enrolment centres and taking strict action against operators who are trying to take money for enrolment or not carrying out the process smoothly. Already several erring agencies have been blacklisted, while strict vigilance was being kept of the entire process. 

The UIDAI is also carrying out awareness drive telling people not to pay money for Aadhaar enrolment and lodge a compliant if any agency asks for money, officials said.

Uttar Pradesh being the biggest State, the Centre is more focused on early completion of the Aadhaar enrolment which is directly linked to various schemes and initiatives, including the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), Direct Benefit Transfer of LPG Subsidy (DBTL), Universal Account Number (UAN) of Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), public distribution system (PDS), pensions and scholarships, passports and attendance in government offices.

7394 - Have Aadhaar? Get passport in 10 days - TNN

Have Aadhaar? Get passport in 10 days

TNN | Feb 16, 2015, 12.08AM IST

KOLKATA: Here's good news for owners of Aadhaar card. If you have it, you can now get your passport in 10 days, skipping the time-consuming police verification process, which will be done later.

To expedite the passport issuing system, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) has now decided to rely on Aadhaar card for identification of the applicant and on the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) database for validation of his/her criminal antecedents, said a ministry official.

With the applicant's self-declaration on aspects like citizenship, criminal antecedents, criminal proceedings, summons/warrants sufficing, the government will start issuing fresh passports on condition that the applicant will get the police verification done later. This is done in case of Tatkaal seva, too.

The simplified police verification system seeks to resolve issues raised from time to time regarding prior police verification and consequent delay in issuance of passports. In the new format, the applicant would apply online; he or she needs only to attach the Aadhaar card as the sole address and identity proof. The applicant will get the appointment within three days and in another seven days, the passport will be processed and dispatched.

According to the new modalities devised by MEA, the home and law ministries and the Intelligence Bureau, the government, on the directions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has made Aadhaar card a mandatory requirement for issuance of passports. The MEA has coordinated with UIDAI to implement this. In case the applicant does not have an Aadhaar card, his/her Aadhaar enrolment number would suffice since the identity of a person who has enrolled has also been verified to a great extent.

Regarding the verification of criminal antecedents, NCRB has put a system in place which will help it validate the applicant's records based on its database. Under the current scheme of things, passports are issued within a week of receipt of police verification reports.

The applicant may now be given the address of the police station responsible for verification at the time of issue of passport. This will help him/her actively pursue and complete the process of verification before travelling abroad. Any wrong declaration by the applicant would entail impounding or revocation of passport, said an MEA official.

7276 - India’s IT & communications ministry to take over Aadhaar biometric identification project - Biometric Update

India’s IT & communications ministry to take over Aadhaar biometric identification project

By Stephen Mayhew

January 28, 2015 - 

India’s ministry of information technology and communications will take over the country’s national citizen identification project, Aadhaar, according to a report by Business Standard.

Under the Unique Identification Authority of India, the planning commission in the previous government was previously in charge of Aadhaar. However, leadership for the project must now shift as a result of the commission’s recent revamp.

“Since Aadhaar has many links with technology and is expected to play a bigger role in the government’s plan of ‘Digital India’, the ministry of IT and communications has started consultations with other ministries to move Aadhaar under its domain,” a senior government official told Business Standard, adding that the ministry would soon prepare a Cabinet note for bringing Aadhaar under its administrative jurisdiction.

Currently, about 745.6 million people, or 61% of the population, have been provided with Aadhaar numbers, with a government goal to enrol the entire country by June. Additionally, the percentage of enrolment is over 90% in 15 states.

Aadhaar is also being used for several other functions, including monitoring the attendance of government officials and as a proof of identity for government and private services.

The government also plans to link Aadhaar numbers with driving licences after successfully linking them with passports, mobile SIM cards, pension funds and the Digital India project.

Previously reported, the Election Commission of India is working on a plan to “embed” and synchronize the Aadhaar database with that of the Electoral Photo ID Card to help prevent duplication or forgery at election polls.