New Passport Seva Kendra Boosts Services in Araku Region

The Ministry of External Affairs inaugurated the 443rd Passport Seva Kendra in Araku Valley, Andhra Pradesh, to improve access to passport services for tribal communities. The initiative, part of the government's e-Governance push, promises enhanced service delivery for the region's remote and underserved areas.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) unveiled a new Post Office Passport Seva Kendra in Araku Alluri Seetharamaraju district, Andhra Pradesh, in partnership with the Department of Posts. This facility marks the country's 443rd such center and the 8th within the Regional Passport Office jurisdiction in Visakhapatnam, officials confirmed on Wednesday.

Prominent figures such as Araku's Member of Parliament Gumma Thanuja Rani, Araku MLA Regam Matyalingam, and KJ Srinivasa, Joint Secretary of the Passport Seva Programme, attended the launch. This new center aims to deliver crucial passport services to residents of the tribal-dominated Araku Valley and its nearby assembly segments.

The initiative is part of a broader government strategy to decentralize essential services, making them more accessible to remote and underserved populations. The newly inaugurated center will initially handle up to 50 passport applications daily, with the capacity to expand in response to growing demand, according to MEA officials. Such developments align with India's recent e-Governance reforms, aimed at enhancing public service delivery.

(With inputs from agencies.)