MARGAO: With the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) mandating foreign Consulates not to directly approach the Sub-Registrar offices seeking birth record details, the Goa government is toying with the idea approaching the centre to ease the hardships faced by the people of Goa applying for Portuguese passports.
This became apparent after TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai took up the issue with the Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Wednesday after the Cabinet meeting a week after a group of people called on him and highlighted the difficulties faced by the people on account of the new regulation.
"A number of Goans have met me in recent times with the hardships and delays faced by them following the directions issued by the Ministry of External Affairs that consulates cannot directly approach the Sub Registrar offices for verification of the birth records of the applicants for Portuguese passports", he said.
The TCP Minister said he is convinced the MEA circular has indeed caused inconveniences to the people of Goa and will only delay in getting the Portuguese passports, adding that he has brought the hardships to the notice of the Chief Minister with a plea to work out a solution.
"There can be a solution wherein the powers enjoyed by the MEA are delegated to the Goa government so that the Portuguese consulate need not apply to the Ministry every now and then with applications for passports", he said, exuding confidence that the Chief Minister will work out a solution which will protect the interest of the people as well as fulfill the norms laid down by the Ministry of External affairs.
"People who apply for Portuguese passport, the government have routed their verification process through MEA. Many Goans are using this facility given to them. They are facing various problems due to this tedious process of going through the MEA. Earlier, the Consul was directly carrying out the verification of birth records from the office of the sub-registrar. This process should be reverted to the Consul or MEA should have a special concession for Goans," he said
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There can be a solution wherein the powers enjoyed by the MEA are delegated to the Goa government so that the Portuguese consulate need not apply to the Ministry every now and then with applications for passports
- Vijai Sardesai
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