Nepal Government Launches Doorstep Delivery for Passports and Driver's Licenses

Kathmandu. The ambitious government initiative aimed at providing hassle-free and efficient services to citizens is now being implemented. Ending the long-standing compulsion of visiting government offices and waiting in queues for hours, the government has begun delivering passports and driver's licenses directly to citizens' doorsteps.

This step was taken in accordance with the 100-point governance reform agenda made public on Chait 13, which included a commitment to provide essential services at home within 100 days. In coordination with the Prime Minister's Office and the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Postal Services Department has been mobilized as a government courier service.

Minister of Communications and Information Technology Dr. Bikram Timilsina has directed the postal service to move beyond traditional letter delivery and transport government documents in a modern and effective manner. This has not only given a new lease of life to the sluggish postal service but has also brought the state and citizens closer.

According to Manmaya Bhattarai Pangeni, Director General of the Postal Services Department, this service has been successfully implemented on a trial basis in districts such as Makwanpur, Myagdi, and Dadeldhura. A system has been put in place where service seekers must provide their address while applying for a passport, based on which the postal service delivers the documents to the individual's home.

In Myagdi, Chief District Officer Rabindra Acharya personally visited various wards of Beni Municipality to hand over passports to citizens. This has received very positive feedback at the local level, with citizens noting that it saves time, money, and unnecessary hassle.

Despite some technical challenges such as geographical remoteness, human resource management, and the lack of a proper address system, the government is preparing to expand this service across the country in phases. Efforts are underway to strengthen collaboration with the Department of Transport Management and the Department of Passports to ensure uniformity in service fees. Once fully implemented, this initiative will end the situation where citizens have to repeatedly travel to district headquarters and rely on middlemen for a single task.