Cash Awards for Students of Fishermen Community in Puducherry

The Government of Puducherry has announced cash awards for meritorious students belonging to fishermen community. The Puducherry Administration has officially launched this scheme to extend cash incentives to students who have scored high and excellent marks in the school final public examinations.

Each of the students from fishermen community who have scored 75 per cent and above marks in the SSLC, Matriculation, French Brevet Elementary (equivalent to Class X) examinations and also under the CBSE pattern of education will be given Rs 5000 under this scheme.

In the same manner, students who have scored 75 percent and above in
the plus two (class XII) will get Rs. 700 under this scheme. Students who studied 10+2 in the CBSE pattern of higher secondary education are also eligible for these schemes.

New Procedure for US Visa Applications and Interviews

Consulate General of the USA in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh Martha J. Haas has announced that the USA has framed new Visa processes for application, fee payment and appointment for a visa to the USA. Martha J Hass is the chief of consular services of the Consulate General of the USA in Hyderabad. The new guidelines have already been in force for the last three weeks. Following are the details of changes:

As per the new guidelines, the visa applicants should make two appointments. Initially they have to visit an offsite facilitation centre (OFC) and submit fingerprints and photo. The second appointment is for the visa interview. The US Embassy and Consulates have the Offsite Facilitation Centre (OFC) at another building in the same city of the Embassy or the consulates are located. Most of the applicants would have to visit the OFC only once.

The fee payment procedure has been made much easier. The visa applicants now can pay the application fee through electronic fund transfer. They can also pay the fee through their mobile phones. Cash payments are also accepted at more than 1,800 branches of Axis bank. The appointments can be made online or by phone.

Contact Details: The US Consular Services has set up a call centre at Hyderabad and Noida. The queries will be answered in Hindi, Punjabi, Gujarati, English, Tamil and Telugu. You can contact the call center between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Monday to Friday and from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Sundays.

The call centre numbers in India : +91 1206602222 or +912267209400.
Email Contact: support-india@usatraveldocs.com
Website: website www.ustraveldocs.com/in