Ladakh LG Vinai Kumar Saxena & Union Minister Kirti Vardhan Singh Inaugurate Post Office Passport Seva Kendra In Kargil

In Ladakh,  Minister of State for External Affairs and Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh today inaugurated the Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSK) at Kargil in the presence of Vinai Kumar Saxena,  Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory of Ladakh.

The inauguration marks a significant milestone for Kargil and fulfils a long-standing demand of the people of the district and adjoining areas.

Addressing the gathering, Lieutenant Governor said that for many years, residents of Kargil and neighbouring areas had faced considerable difficulties in accessing passport-related services. Applicants were required to travel long distances to Srinagar or Leh, which involved not only inconvenience and loss of time but also considerable financial expenditure for families.

He said that with the inauguration of the Post Office Passport Seva Kendra at Kargil, this long-standing difficulty has now been substantially addressed. Applicants from Kargil and adjoining areas will no longer have to undertake long journeys for passport-related services.

The Lieutenant Governor expressed gratitude to the Government of India and Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for fulfilling the long-pending demand of the people of Kargil and bringing an important citizen service closer to their doorstep.

He said that the facility would prove highly beneficial for people travelling abroad for various purposes, including health and pilgrimage, students pursuing higher education, youth seeking opportunities, professionals and entrepreneurs. He added that the facility would have a significant and positive impact on the lives of the people of Kargil and adjoining areas.

The Lieutenant Governor said that when government services reach the doorstep of citizens, they not only make life easier but also strengthen people’s trust and confidence in the government.

He further said that Leh had received passport services in 2017, and with the inauguration of the POPSK at Kargil, the people of both major regions of Ladakh will now have improved access to passport-related services.

Highlighting the importance of accessible governance, the Lieutenant Governor said that the real objective of government service is fulfilled only when services are made simple, accessible and convenient for citizens.

He said that since Ladakh became a Union Territory in 2019, special emphasis has been laid on infrastructure development, Ease of Living and Ease of Services, under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.

The Lieutenant Governor also informed that public-related services of around 34 government departments in Ladakh have been made available online, enabling citizens to access several essential services from their homes and reducing the need to visit government offices unnecessarily.

The POPSK has been established under the joint collaboration of the Ministry of External Affairs and the Department of Posts.

The initiative reflects the Government of India’s commitment to leveraging the extensive postal network for delivering essential citizen services, particularly in remote and geographically challenging regions.

The establishment of the Post Office Passport Seva Kendra at Kargil is being regarded as a major step towards strengthening citizen-centric governance and ensuring that essential government services reach even the remotest and geographically challenging areas of Ladakh.