The government has approved measures to employ additional staff to accelerate passport printing and reduce delays.
The move follows recommendations from a Cabinet-appointed committee addressing the ongoing passport shortage. Accordingly, a proposal to employ retired personnel of the Department of Immigration and Emigration on contract basis received Cabinet approval.
Cabinet Spokesman Minister Nalinda Jayathissa said the procurement process has begun to acquire 1.1 million “P” category chip-embedded passport booklets.
In order to eliminate issuance delays, the Department of Emigration and Immigration plans to operate 24/7 issuing 4,000 passports daily.
Accordingy, the proposal by the Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs to recruit retired department officers on a contract basis and reassign existing government officers with the approval of the Public Service Commission and the Ministry of Public Administration, has received approval. (Newswire)