Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh and Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh Vinai Kumar Saxena on September 2 inaugurated the Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSK) at Kargil, marking a significant step towards bringing passport services closer to residents of Kargil and adjoining areas.

Established by the Ministry of External Affairs in collaboration with the Department of Posts at the Sub Post Office, Kargil, the facility is the second POPSK in Ladakh after Leh, where the centre has been operational since 2017. It is the 457th POPSK in the country.

The new centre fulfils a long-pending demand of the people of Kargil, who previously had to travel to Leh or Srinagar to access passport-related services. Its establishment is expected to significantly reduce the time, travel and expenditure involved in obtaining passport services and strengthen decentralised delivery of citizen-centric services in the region.

The facility will particularly benefit residents requiring passports for Haj and Umrah pilgrimages to Saudi Arabia, as well as those travelling abroad for education, employment and other purposes.

Speaking on the occasion, Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena said the inauguration of POPSK Kargil was another important step towards ensuring the last-mile delivery of citizen-centric services in Ladakh.

He expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Ministry of External Affairs and the Department of Posts for fulfilling the long-pending aspiration of the people of Kargil.

The L-G said bringing essential services closer to citizens was central to the Government’s vision of “Ease of Living”, particularly in remote and geographically challenging regions such as Ladakh. He expressed confidence that the new facility would provide fair, efficient, transparent and hassle-free passport services.

He also appreciated MoS Kirti Vardhan Singh for visiting Kargil and the Ministry of External Affairs for its support in establishing the centre.
Kirti Vardhan Singh said the establishment of POPSK Kargil was part of the Government’s continued efforts to expand passport services to remote and underserved areas and make them more accessible, efficient and citizen-friendly.

He said the initiative, being implemented under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the guidance of External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar, would further strengthen citizen-centric delivery of passport services.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Member of Parliament, Ladakh, Mohmad Haneefa; Chairman/Chief Executive Councillor, LAHDC Kargil, Dr Mohd Jaffer Akhoon; and senior officials from the Ministry of External Affairs, Department of Posts and the UT Administration.