Lok Sabha Question No. 545 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-06
Subject: Upgradation of Post Offices
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Dhanush M Kumar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF POSTS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 545 TO BE ANSWERED ON 6 TH  DECEMBER, 2023

## UPGRADATION OF POST OFFICES

## 545. SHRI DHANUSH M. KUMAR:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has fulfilled in its objective of modernisation /upgradation of the Post Offices, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (b) the reason for slow modernisation /upgradation of the Post Offices particularly in rural and backward areas of Tamil Nadu;
- (c) the new scope of activities assigned to the Post Offices under the modernization process; and
- (d) the total investment made in modernisation project during the current year in the State of Tamil Nadu?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS (SHRI DEVUSINH CHAUHAN)

- (a) Yes  Sir;  the  Government  has  substantially  fulfilled  in  its  objective  of  modernisation  / upgradation  of  the  Post  Offices.  Under  IT  Modernisation  Project,  all  25,070  Departmental  Post offices in the country have been computerised. The Department has also modernised 1,36,778 Branch Post Offices of the country by providing mobile devices with SIM based connectivity for carrying out online postal, financial and insurance transactions. Department of Posts Information Technology Modernization Project 2.0 has been approved by the Government for continuation of the Technology Project in February 2022 with an outlay of Rs. 5785 Crore for a period of eight years.
- (b) The modernisation/upgradation of the Post Offices has not been slow. In Tamil Nadu Postal Circle, all 2564 Departmental Post Offices have been computerised and new mobile devices with SIM based connectivity have been rolled out in 9275 Branch Post Offices.
- (c) The new scope of activities assigned to the Post Offices under the modernisation process are as under:-
- i. Core Banking Services: This facility enables customers to transact their Post Office Savings Bank (POSB) accounts from any Post Office across the country. Besides, 1000  Automated  Teller  Machines  (ATMs)  have  been  installed  across  the  country which are inter-operable.
- ii. Postal Life Insurance (PLI): This service is being provided through Core Insurance solution  (CIS),  through  which  customers  can  make  premium  payment in any Post Office.

- iii. Core System Integrator (CSI): This  project  has  been  implemented  for  providing solutions for Mail operations, Retail Products, Logistics and Human Resources.
- iv. DARPAN  (Digital  Advancement  of  Rural  Post  offices  for  a  New  India): Customers in the rural areas can avail the facility of booking of Registered and Speed Post article, booking of Money Orders, Post Office Savings Bank transactions, Postal Life  Insurance  (PLI)  /Rural  Postal  Life  Insurance  (RPLI)  premium  payment  and indexing of PLI/RPLI maturity claims through the DARPAN smartphone devices.
- v. Jeevan  Pramaan  -  Digital  Life  certificates: This  is  a  biometric  enabled  digital service  for  pensioners  for  submitting  their  Life  Certificates  digitally  in  Jeevan Pramaan Centres established in all the Head Post Offices across the country.
4. (d) Under IT Modernisation  Project,  a total  expenditure  of  Rs.  445.41  Crore  has  been  made during the current year. The Project has been implemented centrally pan - India. Hence, State/Union Territory (UT) wise expenditure is not applicable.

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