Lok Sabha Question No. 2076 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-15
Subject: Post Office and Population Ratio
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: JAYSHREEBEN  PATEL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF POSTS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2076 TO BE ANSWERED ON 15 TH  MARCH, 2017

## POST OFFICE AND POPULATION RATIO

†2076. SHRIMATI JAYSHREEBEN PATEL:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) the global standards regarding the setting up of post offices per persons and India's position in this regard; and
- (b) whether provisions of ATMs and money banks are made in post offices and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) OF THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS & MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI MANOJ SINHA)

- (a) The standards for setting up of post offices vary from country to country. There are no global  standards  for  setting  up  of  post  offices  per  person.  However,  opening  of  new  post offices in uncovered & justified areas in India is an ongoing process subject to fulfillment of the  prescribed  norms  related  to  distance,  population,  income  and  subject  to  availability  of funds and manpower. The norms for opening of post offices are at Annexure- I.
- (b) Yes Madam. Provisions of ATMs and savings bank are made in post offices. As on 09/03/2017, 976 ATMs have been installed. The State-wise details are at Annexure-II.

## NORMS FOR OPENING OF NEW POST OFFICES

1. Norms for opening of Branch Post Offices (BOs):
2. 1.1 Population:
3. (a) In Normal Areas:

3000  population  in  the  group  of  villages  to  be  served  by  the  proposed  post  office (including 1000 population in the proposed post office village).

- (b) In Hill, Tribal, Desert and Inaccessible Areas:

500 population in the individual village and 1000 population in the group of villages.

- 1.2 Distance:
- (a) In Normal Areas: The minimum distance from the nearest existing post office should be 3 Kms.
- (b) In Hill, Tribal, Desert and Inaccessible Areas: The distance limit will be the same as above.  However,  in  Hill  Areas,  the  minimum  distance  limit  can  be  relaxed  by  the Postal Directorate in cases where such relaxation is warranted by special circumstances which should be clearly explained while submitting a proposal.
- 1.3 Anticipated Income:
- (a) In Normal Areas: The minimum anticipated revenue will be 33.33 % of the cost.
- (b) In  Hill,  Tribal,  Desert  and  Inaccessible  Areas: The minimum anticipated income will be 15% of the cost.

It is further to be ensured that as a result of opening of a new BO, the loss in respect of the parent post office does not increase beyond the permissible limit nor does its income reduce below the minimum prescribed.

2. Norms for upgrading/ opening of Departmental Sub Offices (SOs):
2. (a) In  Rural  Areas: The minimum work load of the Branch Post Office proposed to be upgraded,  should  be  five  hours  per  day.  The  permissible  limit  of  annual  loss  is Rs.2400/- in normal rural areas and Rs.4800/- in hill and tribal areas.

It is further to be ensured that as a result of opening of a new post office, the loss in respect of the parent post office does not increase beyond the permissible limit nor does its income reduce below the minimum prescribed.

- (b) In Urban Areas: In urban areas, the post office should initially be self-supporting and at  the  time  of  the  first  annual  review,  it  should  show  a  5%  profit  to  be  eligible  for further retention.

The minimum distance between two  post offices should be 1.5 Km. in cities with a population of 20 lakhs and above and 2 Km. in other urban areas.

No two delivery offices, however, should be closer than 5 Kms. from each other. Delivery Post Office in urban areas should have a minimum of 7 Postmen's beats.

## 3. Norms for opening of Head Post Offices

Head Post Offices (HOs) are district level offices and the need/ justification for new HOs arises only occasionally. An HO is opened by conversion of a sub-post office into head post office or by  bifurcation of an existing HO. The norms prescribed are:

- (i) Each  district  should  have  a  head  post  office  provided  a  minimum  of  20  sub-post offices can be attached to it. In the case of backward areas or places where there will be  a  definite  improvement  in  financing  sub-post  offices/  GDS  post  offices,  lower standard may be adopted, subject to the approval of the Postal Directorate .
- (ii) If there is no HO in a district, opening of HO can be considered, if at least 20 SOs in the same district can be attached with advantage, to the proposed HO irrespective of the fact whether parent HO has 60 SOs or not. It has, however, to be ensured that such  upgradation  does  not  bring  the  number  of  SOs  in  account  with  residuary  HO below 20.
- (iii) An  existing  HO  should  be  bifurcated,  if  the  number  of  sub-offices  attached      to  it exceeds 60. It should however, be ensured that as a result of the change neither the new nor old HO has less than 20 sub-offices attached to it.

Contd…4/-

## State-wise number of ATMs installed

| Sl.No.      | States            |   ATM Installed at Post Offices |
|-------------|-------------------|---------------------------------|
| 1           | ANDHRA PRADESH    |                              59 |
| 2           | ARUNACHAL PRADESH |                               1 |
| 3           | ASSAM             |                              26 |
| 4           | BIHAR             |                              43 |
| 5           | CHATTISGARH       |                              14 |
| 6           | DELHI             |                              26 |
| 7           | GOA               |                               1 |
| 8           | GUJARAT           |                              41 |
| 9           | HARYANA           |                              20 |
| 10          | HIMACHAL PRADESH  |                              20 |
| 11          | JAMMU AND KASHMIR |                               9 |
| 12          | JHARKHAND         |                              19 |
| 13          | KARNATAKA         |                              76 |
| 14          | KERALA            |                              48 |
| 15          | MADHYA PRADESH    |                              52 |
| 16          | MAHARASHTRA       |                              74 |
| 17          | MANIPUR           |                               1 |
| 18          | MEGHALAYA         |                               4 |
| 19          | MIZORAM           |                               2 |
| 20          | NAGALAND          |                               2 |
| 21          | ORISSA            |                              44 |
| 22          | PUNJAB            |                              26 |
| 23          | RAJASTHAN         |                              64 |
| 24          | SIKKIM            |                               1 |
| 25          | TAMILNADU         |                              97 |
| 26          | TELANGANA         |                              36 |
| 27          | TRIPURA           |                               3 |
| 28          | UTTAR PRADESH     |                              86 |
| 29          | UTTARAKHAND       |                              18 |
| 30          | WEST BENGAL       |                              63 |
| Grand Total |                   |                             976 |

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## Annexure-II