Uttar Pradesh to get its first British consulate

LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh government has initiated a move to establish a British consulate here to provide a smooth visa facilitation service to the people of the state, official said today.

Advisor to NRI and externally funded projects departments, Madhukar Jaitley, met a British delegation in his office here earlier in the day and said that the British government has given its nod besides the state government making available all facilities on priority basis.

"The state government has initiated the move to establish the office of the British deputy high commissioner in Lucknow for visa facilitation services and ensuring that those seeking visas do not fall in wrong hands," he said.

Jaitley said that the Deputy High Commissioner's office in Lucknow will be equipped with high tech biometric facilities.

Principal secretary of the NRI department, Sanjiv Saran said that the state government is making efforts for setting up consulates in Canada, United States, European Union, Gulf countries, New Zealand and Australia.