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| Edited By: DNA Web Team |Source: DNA webdesk |Updated: Feb 02, 2022, 03:31 PM IST
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2022 in Parliament on February 1, highlighting several new reforms and policies proposed for the financial year 2022-23. One of these new policies included the rollout of e-passports for Indian citizens.
According to the budget presentation by the FM on Tuesday, the e-passports in India will be rolled out soon and will enhance the travel convenience for the citizens of the country, offering more security and a streamlined verification process.
The introduction of e-passports for Indians will lead to a better international travel experience for all citizens, making it more secure and convenient. It is expected that the issuing of these chip-based e-passports will commence by the end of this year.
The new e-passports will have a chip installed in them, which can be scanned to access all the vital information about the passenger. As per reports, the passport will use radio-frequency identification (RFID) and biometrics to ascertain the identity of the individuals.
The chip embedded in the passport will contain the personal information about the passport holder, such as their name, address, ID proof, and biometric details. In case of tampering with the chip, the system will be able to detect it and the passport will not be authenticated.
Last month, MEA secretary Sanjay Bhattacharya had mentioned the rollout of the e-passports in a tweet. He had mentioned several features of the passport including secure biometric data and smooth passage through immigration posts globally.
The passports will be produced by the Indian Security Press, Nashik. The contract for the production of ICAO-compliant electronic chip inlays for passport jackets is in the process of being awarded. The issuing of the e-passports will only take place once the procurement process is complete.
The Union Budget 2022 presentation took place on February 1 in the Parliament, and several schemes such as 5G rollout, e-passport rollout, ITR updated filing, and tax on cryptocurrencies were introduced in the session.
