New Delhi, Jan 30 (Agencies): Government has scrapped its decision to issue a separate passport with orange colour jacket to ECR passport holders. The current practice of printing of the last page of the passport would also continue.

This means that the passport would continue to serve as valid residential proof.

A statement by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said: "A decision was taken by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on the recommendations of a three-member committee comprising officials of MEA and the Ministry of Women and Child Development, not to print the last page of passport booklet," the External Affairs ministry said in a statement.

Noting it received several individual and collective representations requesting to reconsider this decision as well as orange-coloured passport, it said at a meeting chaired by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday in the presence of Minister of State for External Affairs V.K. Singh, the decision of the ministry on both these issues was reviewed in the light of these representations.

"“After comprehensive discussions with the various stakeholders, the MEA has decided to continue with the current practice of printing of the last page of the passport and not to issue a separate passport with orange colour jacket to ECR passport holders."

On January 12, the External Affairs Ministry had said that India has decided to do away with the last page of the passport that contains the names of the spouse, parents and address of the passport-holder while changing the colour of ECR passports for unskilled workers.

The MEA had received several individual and collective representations requesting to reconsider these two decisions.

The decision of the MEA on both these issues was reviewed in the light of these representations during a meeting chaired by foreign affairs minister Sushma Swaraj on January 29. Minister of State for External Affairs Gen VK Singh was also present at the meet.