Govt Thursday announced a steep increase in passport fees across categories, including a 67% hike for issuance or reissue of ordinary passport and a 250% increase in charges under the Tatkal scheme. The new charges will be effective July 1. MEA said an ordinary 36-page fresh passport for applicants aged 18 years and above will cost Rs 2,500 under the normal category, up from the current Rs 1,500. Under the Tatkal scheme, the fee will be Rs 5,000, up from Rs 2,000. In case of ordinary fresh 60-page passport, the fee will be Rs 3,500, up from Rs 2,000. The steepest hike is for reissue of 60-page passport in lieu of a lost or damaged document, with fee rising from Rs 2,000 to Rs 8,500. tnn