Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said there was a 421.6 per cent jump in tourist arrivals in December last year compared to the corresponding period in 2013. In December 2013, the government issued 2,700 tourist visas-on-arrival, whereas over 14,000 travel authorisations were given.

Addressing a meeting of the Consultative Committee of Members of Parliament attached to the Union Home Ministry, Mr. Singh said over 65,000 visas were issued in the past 75 days and about 1,000 electronic travel authorisations were being everyday.

The Minister told the committee members that the Immigration, Visa, Foreigners Registration and Tracking (IVFRT) project covers 178 Indian missions abroad and 13 foreigners regional registration offices (FRROs), 674 foreigners registration offices (FROs) and 83 immigration check posts (ICPs) within the country.

The project has so far been implemented in 155 Indian missions abroad and 13 FRROs, 450 FROs and 81 ICPs, covering 85 per cent of the foreigners coming to India. The project will be implemented at the remaining centres by March 2017.