MoS External Affairs, LG Ladakh inaugurate POPSK in Kargil

Excelsior Correspondent

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

Established by the Ministry of External Affairs in association 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. Click here to watch video

The new centre fulfils a long-standing demand of the people of Kargil, who earlier had to travel to Leh or Srinagar for passport-related services. Its opening is expected to substantially reduce the time, travel and expenditure involved in obtaining passports and other related services, particularly for residents of Kargil and neighbouring areas.

The facility will also benefit people requiring passports for Haj and Umrah pilgrimages to Saudi Arabia, besides students and job seekers travelling abroad for education and employment.

Speaking at the inauguration, Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena described the facility as another important step towards ensuring last-mile delivery of citizen-centric services in Ladakh. He said bringing essential services closer to people was central to the Government’s vision of “Ease of Living”, especially in remote and geographically challenging regions.

Kirti Vardhan Singh said the establishment of POPSK Kargil reflected the Government’s continued efforts to expand passport services to remote and underserved areas. He said the initiative would make passport services more accessible, citizen-centric and efficient.

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