Malappuram: The passport offices and Passport Seva Kendras (PSK) across the country will come to a halt on Wednesday, November 23 when the employees will go on a strike protesting against the decision taken by the Ministry of External Affairs to outsource the services to post offices. The All-India Passport Staff Association (AIPSA) launched a week-long token protest on Wednesday raising a host of issues, including transfer of officers to distant places. The employees wear black badges and conduct demonstrations during lunch time on the premises of the offices.
“The centre is going ahead with the plan to outsource services to post offices without addressing the grievances of the staff of the passport offices, including cadre restructuring and promotions,” said Mr C.V. Raveendran, secretary of AIPSA Malappuram unit and senior superintendent at the regional passport office, Malappuram. As many as 55 officers from Kerala have received orders transferring them to Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and other North Indian states. The officers, including some women employees who have only three years’ service before retirement, have to be relieved by the end of November,” he said. A delegation of AIPSA national leaders would meet Chief Passport Officer and Joint Secretary Arun K. Chatterjee in New Delhi on Friday to take up the issue.
