Indian passports will now be both in English and Hindi, announced Sushma Swaraj.

External affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj announced today that all Indian Passports have to be both in English and Hindi languages. As of now, passports have personal details only in English. From now on, details in both languages will be printed on the passports, said the Minister while addressing an event marking 50 years of Passport Act of 1967.

The Minister also announced a reduction of 10 percent in passport fee for applicants less than 8 years of age and over 60 years of age. She also said that ration cards could be submitted while applying for Tatkal passports.

While applying for tatkal passports, the minister said, applicants could give a copy of their Aadhar card, PAN card or ration card, voter identification card apart from a self- attested letter that he/she does not have any criminal complaint against him/her. Police verification, a major part of the passport issuing process, takes time, the minister pointed out. Swaraj asked other states to emulate Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Delhi, Chandigarh, Gujarat and Goa that complete the police verification process in less than six days.

She also added that she had received several complaints about difficulties in getting a passport. After studying passport rules, she realised that some norms were unnecessary and impractical. She also highlighted the steps taken by her ministry in easing rules for getting the international travel document, especially for orphans, single mothers and divorced women.

inputs from : news18.com