2 days ago
Kozhikode passport office bags award
The Regional Passport Office (RPO), Kozhikode, has bagged the Best Passport Office Award in India. K. Arunmohan, Regional Passport Officer, received the award from Union Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita at the Annual Passport Officers' Conference organised by the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi on Tuesday. Satheesh Kumar Kootil, Assistant Passport Officer, received the Best Granting Officer Award.
A press release said the RPO Kozhikode handled 3,500 applicants daily and issued over six lakh passports and police clearance certificates last year. At present, five Passport Seva Kendras (PSKs) — Kozhikode, Vadakara, Malappuram, Kannur, and Payyanur — and two Post Office Passport Seva Kendras (POPSKs) — Kasaragod and Kalpetta — are functioning under the jurisdiction of RPO Kozhikode. It has also introduced Kerala's first mobile passport van, equipped with biometric capturing devices. This pioneering initiative by the Ministry of External Affairs is aimed at reducing travel distance, improving service efficiency, and enhancing accessibility to passport services, especially in remote areas.
