Lok Sabha Question No. 4 (STARRED), answered on 2016-02-24
Subject: IT Enabled Services in Post Offices
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: P.P. CHAUDHARY, CHANDRA PRAKASH JOSHI

## MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF POSTS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.4 TO BE ANSWERED ON 24 th  FEBRUARY, 2016

## IT ENABLED SERVICES IN POST OFFICES

## *4. SHRI P.P. CHAUDHARY: SHRI CHANDRA PRAKASH JOSHI:

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

- (a) whether  Information Technology  (IT) enabled  facilities  like  ATMs,  Core  Banking Solutions, Information and Communication Technology, etc. are being accessed in the Postal Department;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether postal services are being hampered by erratic internet services; and
- (d) if so, the remedial steps taken/proposed to be taken in this regard?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) to (d) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT  TO  BE  LAID  ON  THE  TABLE  OF  THE  LOK  SABHA  IN  RESPECT  OF PARTS (a) TO (d) OF LOK  SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 4 FOR 24 th  FEBRUARY, 2016 REGARDING 'IT ENABLED SERVICES IN POST OFFICES'.

- (a) Yes, Madam.

(b) IT Modernization Project of Department of Posts was approved by the Government of India  with  a  total  outlay  of  Rs 4909  crore .  The  Project  involves  computerization  and networking of 1,55,000 Post Offices in the country, including approximately 1,30,000 Branch Post  Offices  in  rural  areas.  The  project  also  involves  providing  a  Central  Server  enabled integrated, modular and scalable solution for all the operations of the Department of Posts. These include provision of Core Banking and Insurance Solutions in all Departmental Post offices and provision of 1000 ATMs. As on 22.02.2016, 17057 out of 25297 post offices are utilizing  Core  Banking  Solutions.  Core  Insurance  Solution  is  rolled  out  in  805  Head  Post Offices  and  the  corresponding  sub  offices.  510  ATMs  have  been  installed.  Further, Information  and  Communication  Technology  is  being  utilized  to  connect  all  Branch  Post Offices.  It  also  involves  creation  of  IT  Infrastructure  like  Data  Centre,  Disaster  Recovery Centre,  setting  up  of  a  Wide  Area  Network  (WAN)  and  providing  hand-held  devices  for postal,  banking  and  insurance  transactions  to  all  the  Branch  Post  Offices.  At  present  the Project is in the implementation stage.

(c) Yes, Madam. In some offices, erratic and unstable internet services do hamper postal operations occasionally.

(d) Multiple  safeguards  have  been  built  into  the  system  to  ensure  stable  internet connectivity for the post offices.  Most of the Offices have been provided with two Network Service Providers, NSP-1 (BSNL) and NSP-2 (SIFY Technologies Ltd.) The NSP-2 is used as back- up in case of any problem arising in NSP-1. Therefore, adequate redundancy has been built into the system. Monitoring of bandwidth utilization is done on real time basis to identify  network  problems.  Service  Level  Agreements  with  penalties  are  in  place  with  the Service Providers. To address operational problems, Circle Heads are authorized to upgrade bandwidth  as  and  when  required.  In  case  of  any  network  problems  that  arise  as  part  of regular  operations,  a  well  managed  response  system has been set  up. The project has  a Help  Desk  wherein  individual  problems  are  raised,  which  are  managed  and  resolved immediately.

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