TEAM HERALD 

teamherald@herald-goa.com

PANJIM: The office of the NRI Commissioner has written to Union Minister for External Affairs to open a passport extension office at Margao.  

Dr Wilfred Mesquita, NRI Commissioner on June 11 has written a letter to the ministry pointing out that Margao is in dire need of a passport office, since an  average  of 175  and  200  applications  are generated daily online. 

In his communiqué he has also stressed on how people of South Goa have to travel over 60 kms to get their passports done from the capital.  More often than not, they have to make repeated visits in the event of their documentation not being complete.

When  contacted  Dr Mesquita  confirmed  that  he  has written to the Union  ministry  requesting the need  for  opening up of  passport seva  Kendra  in  Margao. He said he has also spoken to Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar regarding the same.  “The Chief Minister has assured to provide premises for locating passport seva Kendra in Margao.” he said.

Dr Mesquita said such a facility should have been set-up long time ago in South Goa.  The appointment  slots  for  submission  of applications with documents  are allotted  with a  gap of  15 days,  unlike in the past when the  applications filled  manually  were  accepted at the counter at any time. This causes a  lot of inconvenience  to  people in the South.

“It is pertinent  to mention  that in the  global  job market  today,  workers are  often  required to travel  at short  notice  and  therefore  cannot afford  to wait  for  15 days  period  for the  process to commence.”  Dr Mesquita said reiterating the need for a passport office in South Goa.

South Goa accounts for 66 per cent of emigrant households as against 34 per cent from North Goa. Obviously, therefore majority of Goans migrating abroad for better prospects, hail from South Goa district, he added.