MEA inks pact with TCS for second phase of passport seva programme

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday signed an agreement with Tata Consultancy Services Ltd for the second phase of the Passport Seva Programme (PSP-V2.0) that envisages increasing data security and roll out of the next level of customer experience.

The MEA said it is working towards the opening of one passport services centre in every Lok Sabha constituency where there is no Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) or Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSK).

It said the government plans to embark on technology upgrades with the use of biometrics, artificial intelligence, advanced data analytics and auto-response under the Passport Seva Programme (PSP).

Tata Consultancy Services Ltd has been involved as a service provider in the Passport Seva Project for over 10 years.

The PSP-V2.0 is a continuation and enhancement of PSP-V1.0, an e-governance instrument that the MEA said introduced “unprecedented” transformation in the delivery of passport related services to citizens.

It said the project design ensured that support functions like citizen interface, technology backbone, call centres were provided by the service provider, and the government continued to exercise all sovereign and security-related functions in the passport issuance process.

“The key elements of PSP-V 2.0 are setting up of a state-of-art digital ecosystem, process overhauling and integration among various stakeholders and database, improving citizen interface, upgrading technology, adopting best practices and strengthening data security,” the MEA said. At present, 93 PSKs, 428 POPSKs and 36 passport offices are operational across the country. The programme has recently been connected to over 176 Indian missions/ posts through the Global Passport Seva Programme.

TCS on Friday said its Board will consider a buyback proposal on January 12. “...the Board of Directors will consider a proposal for buyback of equity shares of the Company, at its meeting to be held on January 12, 2022,” a regulatory filing said. No other details of the buyback proposal were disclosed. The Board is scheduled to meet on January 12 to approve and take on record the financial results for the Q3 and nine months ending December 31, 2021.