External Affairs Minister S M Krishna today exhorted Passport officers to sort out citizens' problems promptly and develop a good working relationship with police to process passport applications in a speedy manner. He said delay in verification for issuing passports has also been taken up with the home ministry and state governments.

The Minister also told them that their work load will grow leaps and bounds in the coming years as the number of Indians traveling abroad for various purposes like education, tourism and pilgrimage is increasing every day.

Mr. Krishna sought support of passport officers for successful implementation of passport seva projects.

The Minister added 30 out of 70 such Seva kendras are operational now and the rest of them will be functioning by the end of next year.

He said that still a large number of complaints were received about harassment of people visiting passport offices by either officials or by agents.

He said that these problems need to be addressed promptly.

Noting that there is lot of pendency in passport delivery services largely due to pending police verifications.

Stressing the need to improve the public grievance redressal mechanisms, Mr. Krishna said priority should be accorded to increase accountability within the system so that grievances and complaints were indeed attended to.