Governance2.Org

The Ministry of External Affairs in association with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has chosen Bangalore as one of the two cities across the country for implementing the Passport Seva project, which is meant to simplify the process of issuing passport through automation. The pilot project will kick off by mid-2009, said Regional Passport Officer (Bangalore) R Ravindra.
The project, one of the largest mission-critical e-governance initiative, envisages the setting up of Passport Facilitation Centres (PFCs) where the filled passport forms are received and processed. These PFCs will be the hub for all activities including biometric capture, photograph, payment of fees, verification of documents. Passports will be issued within three days in case police verification is not required and on the same day under the tatkaal scheme.
Chandigarh is the other city that has been selected for the Passport Seva project. The nation-wide roll-out of the project will be completed within six years and the government intends to open 77 Passport Facilitation Centres across the country. [Via]