Union Minister of State for External Affairs Vijay Kumar Singh said that the Central government is taking steps to issue passports to youth, who are aspiring for overseas education. He inaugurated passport service centre set up at a cost of Rs 57 lakh near old bus stand in Bhimavaram on Wednesday.
Speaking on the occasion, Singh explained that it used to take three to four months to get passport in the past and added that now, any person could get passport in 10 days due to the steps taken by the NDA government.
He added “The new passport office would benefit the people from twin Godavari districts and Krishna. It would cater to the needs of 100 applicants per day and the number could be increased as per the demand. It would take only three days for the renewal of the passport, if all the details are correct.”
Explaining the need to open a new passport office in Bhimavaram, the Union Minister said that one lakh persons had applied for the passport from the twin Godavari districts in the last one year, whereas two lakh persons applied for the passport from Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, Yanam and Guntur districts. He maintained that the Central government was committed to provide passports for people in rural areas.
Minister for Health Kamineni Srinivas termed the passport office in Bhimavaram as a boon for the people of West Godavari district. Minister for Endowments, P Manikyala Rao lauded the efforts of local people’s representatives in bringing passport office.
Narsapur MP Gokaraju Gangaraju said that most of the people from Narsapur and Bhimavaram were going abroad and this passport office would be very useful for them.
Visakhapatnam MP Kambhampati Hari Babu said that marine products to the tune of Rs 500 crore were being exported from Bhimavaram and it is boon for the region.
Bhimavaram MLA Pulavarthi Ramanjaneyulu, Eluru MP Maganti Venkateswara Rao, Rajya Sabha member Thota Sithamahalakshmi and others were present.
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By M. Divya Shri
