India to provide chip based e-passport: Modi

New Delhi, January 22: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Planning to provide a chip-based e-passport in place of paper passports to Indian citizens under a centralized passport system.

In the occasion of 15th Pravas Bharatiya Diwas (PBD) was inaugurated on Tuesday, January 22, 2019, by Pravind Juganauth, the Prime Minister of Mauritius.

"Our embassies and consulates are being connected to the Passport Seva Project worldwide," he added. "This will prepare a centralized system connected to the passport service for all of you, going one step ahead, work is on for issuing of the chip-based e-passport."

He also announced that work was on to simplify the process of issuing visas to PIO (Person of Indian Origin) and OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) cards, he added, the government s endeavor was to see to it that Indians were happy and safe wherever they live abroad.

"In the last four-and-a-half years, more than two lakh Indians stranded in crisis situations abroad have been helped by the government and its efforts," he said.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj welcomed the gathering.