: The Kerala postal circle is on the path of rapid modernisation, according to Chief Postmaster General A.N. Nanda.

Addressing reporters at a press conference organised as part of the National Postal Week here on Tuesday, Mr. Nanda said the computerisation of all post offices in the State was under way as part of the India Post 2012 project. As many as 94 post offices in the postal circle have been networked to the core banking solution (CBS) platform. The remaining 1,414 sub post offices in the State will be brought within the platform before March 31, 2016.
The facility will provide easy access to financial services to all citizens even in remote areas. In addition, as part of incorporating Information Communication Technology (ICT), all branch post offices would be supplied with hand-held devices and would be networked soon, Mr. Nanda said.

According to him, the Department of Posts was working on developing networks originating from Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode to connect major towns and cities as part of facilitating faster transportation of parcels.

At present, two Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) of India Post have been commissioned at the Thiruvananthapuram General Post Office and the Ernakulam Head Post Office. The efforts for establishing 49 additional ATMs in various parts of the State are under way. While the approval for setting up the India Post Payment Bank has been obtained, banking operations are expected to commence by 2017.

Mr. Nanda added that the various insurance schemes that were being implemented through the India Post had been successful in the State. Nearly 2.62 lakh accounts have been opened in the Kerala Circle for the Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana scheme that provided financial security for girls, aged below 10 years.

In addition, the Pradhan Mantri Jeeven Jyothi Bima Yojana and the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, both insurance schemes, have been introduced in all the 94 post offices where the CBS has been rolled out. He said that the Postal Department, which had the best network across the country, would be able to reach out to the far-flung areas which have remained outside the purview of the banking and insurance system.

“It has also been decided to organise ‘Kerapex 2016’, a Kerala circle-level philatelic exhibition in Thrissur from January 6 to 8 next year,” Mr. Nanda added.
Source : http://www.thehindu.com/