Lok Sabha Question No. 2156 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-12
Subject: Operational Post Offices
Ministry: COMMUNICATION
Asked by: Shri Navaskani K, Shri C N Annadurai

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF POSTS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2156 TO BE ANSWERED ON 12 TH  MARCH, 2025

## OPERATIONAL POST OFFICES

## 2156.   SHRI C N ANNADURAI: SHRI NAVASKANI K:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATION be pleased to state:

(a) the total number of post offices currently operational in the country, categorized by urban and rural areas;

(b) the number of new post offices established in Tamil Nadu during the last five years;

(c) the steps taken to modernize post offices in the country including the provision of digital services and infrastructure upgrades;

(d) the  number  of  post  offices  in  the  country  equipped  with  core  banking  and  other  digital services under the India Post Payment Bank initiative;

(e) the measures being taken to ensure reliable postal services in tribal and hilly regions of the country;

(f) whether there are any proposals for setting up additional post offices or introducing new services in Tamil Nadu in the near future; and

(g) the steps being taken to ensure that post offices remain competitive and relevant in the digital age?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT (DR. PEMMASANI CHANDRA SEKHAR)

(a) There  are  1,64,987  post  offices  (Head  Post  Offices,  Sub-Post  Offices  and  Branch  Post Offices) operational in the country, out of which 15,823 post offices are functioning in urban areas and 1,49,164 post offices are functioning in rural areas.

(b) Fifty new Post offices have been established in Tamil Nadu in the last five years.

(c) All Departmental post offices in the country have been computerized and networked under the  Information  Technology  (IT)  Modernization  Project.    Under  IT  2.0,  Branch  post  offices functioning in rural areas of the country have been provided with mobile devices for carrying out online postal, financial and insurance transactions.

- (d) 1,63,939 post offices have been enabled to provide banking and other digital services under the India Post Payments Bank.
- (e) Post offices have been established across the country including tribal and hilly regions to serve the people of these areas. Connectivity has been provided to every post office situated in tribal and hilly regions of the country with upgraded bandwidth through various modes such as VPNOBB, MPLS, VSAT, RF/Wireless etc. for ensuring reliable postal services.
- (f) Presently, there is no proposal for setting up for additional post offices in Tamil Nadu. There are 11,853 post offices (Head Post Offices, Sub-Post Offices and Branch Post Offices) functioning in Tamil Nadu to provide access to postal facilities and other services.
- (g) All post offices have been computerized and providing postal, financial & insurance services. In addition, other Citizen Centric Services have been implemented through IPPB, Passport Seva, Aadhaar services, Dak Niryat Kendra etc.  Postal Road Transport Network has been put in place to expedite  safe  and  secure  delivery  of  parcels.  Further,  to  make  mail  &  parcel  services  more competitive, services like online track and trace facility, Self-Booking Kiosk, real time updation of delivery information and Cash on Delivery facility are being offered through post offices.

*****