80,000 Indians rescued in 3 years: Sushma Swaraj

Nearly 80,000 distressed Indians had been rescued from different countries in the last three years, Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj said on Sunday.

“The MEA now has a human face,” Swaraj said addressing the Videsh Bhavan at the Bandra-Kurla Complex in Mumbai. “Earlier we used to hear that even if there are two of their citizens, United States and Israel would rescue them (from anywhere across the globe)…it is heartening to share that we have rescued 80,000 Indians in the last three years,” she said speaking on the foreign policy of the Narendra Modi-led government.

She said that the government has brought in several changes in past couple of years due to which India has emerged as an influential and sensitive state across the world. “This has also earned it a capacity to set global agenda,” Swaraj said.

She reiterated the government’s commitment for effective and speedy service delivery.  “Till 2014 only 77 Passport Seva Kendra were present in the entire country, however, now 251 Passport Seva Kendra are working in the country of which 235 have been made functional in last six months. Also, Rules and Acts have been reviewed and simplified to streamline procedures and make more relevant for the present times,” she said.

The Videsh Bhavan,  a first pilot project, broght four offices of Ministry of External Affairs in Mumbai, that is, Regional Passport Office, Protector of Emigrants Office, Branch Secretariat and Regional office of Indian Council for Cultural Relations under one roof at the newly constructed modern, fully equipped, state of the art office with all amenities for the public at Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) in Mumbai.