Lok Sabha Question No. 603 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-19
Subject: Internet Connectivity to Post Offices
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: DODDAALAHALLI KEMPEGOWDA SURESH, BHAGWANTH KHUBA, NALIN KUMAR KATEEL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF POSTS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.603 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19 th  JULY, 2017

## INTERNET CONNECTIVITY TO POST OFFICES

603. SHRI D.K. SURESH: SHRI BHAGWANTH KHUBA: SHRI NALIN KUMAR KATEEL:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  there  is  an  urgent  need  to  provide  internet connectivity  to  post  offices  in  rural  areas  to  facilitate  the  delivery  of  various  services  to  rural masses;
- (b) if so, the action taken by the Government in this regard;
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  any  proposal  to  sign  a  Memorandum  of  Understanding with Department of Posts and BSNL for providing internet connectivity to rural masses;
- (d) if so, whether the Government has made any progress in this regard; and
- (e) if  so,  the  efforts  taken  by  the  Government to ensure better internet connectivity to the rural people?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) Yes  Madam. The Government is aware that there  is  need  to  provide  secure  network connectivity to Post Offices in rural areas to facilitate the delivery of various services to rural masses and therefore the Government is implementing Information Technology (IT) Modernization Project to achieve this objective.
- (b) Department of Posts is implementing Information Technology (IT) Modernization Project under which, provision of secure network connectivity to all the post offices is envisaged. There are  12593  Departmental  Post  Offices  in  rural  areas  out  of  which,  12216  Post  Offices  have already been networked under single WAN (Wide Area Network) through two service providers. Further, there are 1,29,323 Branch Post Offices in rural areas.  Under Information Technology (IT) Modernization Project, Department of Posts is providing SIM based Handheld devices to all the  Branch  Post  offices  which  will  enable  them  to  provide  Money  Order  payments,  On-line Banking facilities,  Booking  of  Postal  articles  and  payment  of  Postal  Life  Insurance  (PLI)  and Rural Postal Life Insurance (RPLI) premium. The Project is being rolled out in a phased manner. 29,327 Branch Post Offices have been provided with Handheld devices as on 12.07.2017.
- (c) to (e) A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed on 28.04.2017 between the Department of Posts, Bharat Broadband Network Limited and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited wherein it is proposed to provide Broadband services at the Post offices of Department of Posts in  all  feasible  locations  by  utilizing  the  infrastructure  created  under  BharatNet  Project  at  the Gram  Panchayats  as  per    Digital  India  Initiative.  A  list  of  Post  Offices  located  in  Gram Panchayat villages, where BharatNet connectivity is available has been shared by Department of Posts with BBNL & BSNL.

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