Centre to implement E-passports by next year    

Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 27: The Centre will roll out chip embedded e-passports, which can be incorporated with passports so that the information can be verified electronically, in the first phase by next year.

Minister of state for External Affairs V K Singh said here today that fully digital passports that could be even carried in mobile phones would be introduced in the next phase.

Singh was talking to media persons during a visit to the Regional Passport office here. He said that facilities for e-passports are being installed and it is expected that all fresh passports to be issued from next year would have the chips incorporated in it.

The minister also said that once the delay in police verification process is sorted out through electronic passing of information, the time required for issuing passports could be minimised.

In reply to a question, Singh said the restrictions imposed on overseas recruitment of nurses and female domestic workers had helped curb the exploitation in the sector.

Singh, who had recently visited Saudi to help those stranded there following job losses, said the Saudi government is cooperating in getting the claims of Indian workers from Saudi employers.

He also advised those still going to Saudi to take up employment to be cautious and go through genuine channels. Earlier in the day, Singh reviewed the working of the Passport Sewa Kendra, Kollam also.

PTI