Lok Sabha Question No. 1136 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-03-02
Subject: Modernisation of Postal Department
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: VINOD KUMAR SONKAR, SUNIL KUMAR MONDAL, RAKSHA NIKHIL KHADSE, INNOCENT, PARAYAMPARANBIL KUTTAPPAN BIJU

## MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF POSTS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1136 TO BE ANSWERED ON 2 nd  MARCH,  2016

## MODERNISATION OF POSTAL DEPARTMENT

†1136. SHRI VINOD KUMAR SONKAR: SHRI SUNIL KUMAR MONDAL: SHRIMATI RAKSHATAI KHADSE: SHRI INNOCENT: SHRI P.K. BIJU:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  any  proposal  to  modernise  and  computerise  the post offices in the country under 'Project Arrow' Scheme;
- (b) if so, the details thereof, State-wise including Kerala;
- (c) whether the Department of Posts is running into losses in the country and if so, the steps taken in this regard;
- (d) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  open  post  offices  in  all  villages  of  the country and if so, the time by which it is likely to be implemented;
- (e) whether the Government has any proposal to link all the schemes and providing more service added schemes with post offices under Digital India Programme and if so, the details thereof; and
- (f) the steps taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)

- (a) Yes, Madam.
- (b) The  details  of  the  Departmental  Post  Offices  modernized  and  computerized under 'Project Arrow' are annexed.
- (c) The Department of Posts has Universal Service Obligation (USO) to be fulfilled. Consequently, there is deficit; this is covered by budgetary support.
- (d) No,  Madam.  The  villages  without  post  offices  are  provided  postal  facilities through existing nearby post offices.
- (e) & (f) The Department of Posts has initiated IT Modernization Project which will make the  Post  Office  the  focal  point  of  delivery  of  benefits  under  social  security  and employment guarantee schemes of Centre, and State Governments, like disbursement of wages under MNREGA, pension and scholarships, etc. through direct benefit transfer employing biometric authentication of financial transactions. This aids the Digital India Programme.

## ANNEXURE

## Modernized and Computerized Departmental Post Offices (Statewise)

| Sl. No.   | Name of State     |   No. of Post Officesmodernized under Project Arrow up to 31.01.2016 |   No. of Post Offices computerizedup to 15.02.2016 |
|-----------|-------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|
| 1         | Andhra Pradesh    |                                                                  155 |                                               1593 |
| 2         | Arunachal Pradesh |                                                                   21 |                                                 49 |
| 3         | Assam             |                                                                   57 |                                                625 |
| 4         | Bihar             |                                                                  154 |                                               1050 |
| 5         | Chhattisgarh      |                                                                   43 |                                                347 |
| 6         | Delhi             |                                                                   95 |                                                403 |
| 7         | Goa               |                                                                   10 |                                                104 |
| 8         | Gujarat           |                                                                  166 |                                               1336 |
| 9         | Haryana           |                                                                   66 |                                                497 |
| 10        | Himachal Pradesh  |                                                                   50 |                                                466 |
| 11        | Jammu &Kashmir    |                                                                   39 |                                                261 |
| 12        | Jharkhand         |                                                                   62 |                                                456 |
| 13        | Karnataka         |                                                                  186 |                                               1710 |
| 14        | Kerala            |                                                                  151 |                                               1508 |
| 15        | Madhya Pradesh    |                                                                  205 |                                               1026 |
| 16        | Maharashtra       |                                                                  248 |                                               2111 |
| 17        | Manipur           |                                                                   17 |                                                 56 |
| 18        | Meghalaya         |                                                                   24 |                                                 67 |
| 19        | Mizoram           |                                                                   15 |                                                 39 |
| 20        | Nagaland          |                                                                   20 |                                                 42 |
| 21        | Odisha            |                                                                  143 |                                               1202 |
| 22        | Punjab            |                                                                  108 |                                                766 |
| 23        | Rajasthan         |                                                                  248 |                                               1338 |
| 24        | Sikkim            |                                                                   02 |                                                 23 |
| 25        | Tamil Nadu        |                                                                  296 |                                               2607 |
| 26        | Telangana         |                                                                   88 |                                                855 |
| 27        | Tripura           |                                                                   36 |                                                 82 |
| 28        | Uttarakhand       |                                                                   60 |                                                392 |
| 29        | Uttar Pradesh     |                                                                  242 |                                               2547 |
| 30        | West Bengal       |                                                                  165 |                                               1739 |
| Total     |                   |                                                                 3172 |                                              25297 |

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