The Hindu : `Postal department should become self-reliant'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jan 19, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

`Postal department should become self-reliant'

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, JAN. 18. The Union Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology, S. Tirunavukkarasar, today suggested that post offices could function as one-stop shops and offer more services, besides helping people make wise investment decisions.

Declaring open the first postal finance mart at the Teynampet post office in Alwarpet, Chennai,

Mr. Tirunavukkarasar said as more people sought the services of post offices, the department should become self-reliant and independent.

The department was able to mobilise Rs. 2 lakh crores through small savings schemes alone. The department had an edge over the Internet, which was used by one per cent of the population. The density of telephone connection was four per cent in villages and 10 per cent in cities.

Improved services would reduce the burden on Central Government, which is giving subsidy to the postal department.

If a post office functioned like a supermarket by selling insurance schemes and air and train tickets, it would make the department a self-reliant, said B.S. Gnanadesikan, Rajya Sabha member.

The postal life insurance scheme, which was now restricted to government employees, should be made available to all. If a postman, who is seen as the department's public relations officer, could be given incentives to canvas the schemes, the Rs. 1,500-crore subsidy granted to the department would not be necessary, he said.

Finance marts would also be opened in Triplicane post office and in Tiruchi and Coimbatore shortly, said U. Srinivasa Raghavan, Principal Chief Post Master General, Tamil Nadu Circle. The revenue of the Tamil Nadu Postal Circle had risen by 25 per cent this year. The expenses had been brought down from Rs. 600 crores to Rs. 580 crores this year. The marts would help people from rural areas and first generation employees who did not know much about savings option

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