President of India inaugurates bank and post office at their new locations in the President’s estate

The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated the President’s Estate Branch of United Bank of India and Rashtrapati Bhavan Post Office in their new buildings today (July 24, 2014). 

The President’s Estate Branch of United Bank of India was established on February 28, 1976 and inaugurated by the then President of India, Late Dr. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed. 

The Rashtrapati Bhavan Post Office started functioning as Viceroy’s Camp Post Office at Shimla on June 10, 1904. In 1948, it was renamed as Governor-General Post Office and in 1950, it was again renamed as President-Camp Post Office. On December 7, 1950 it got its present name. This Post Office caters to the needs of President’s Secretariat as well as residents of the President’s Estate. 

The Bank and Post Office were relocated from a heritage building as part of measures to implement the Comprehensive Conservation Management Plan for the President’s Estate. 

A fitness centre for the staff of the President’s Estate was also inaugurated by the President today.

Source : PIB Release, 24th July, 2014

Top priority for digital connectivity of all post offices, says Prasad

New Delhi, July 21: 

Proper digital connectivity of all post offices in the country is top priority for the Government, Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told the Lok Sabha here on Monday.

Replying to questions related to his Ministry, Prasad said the Prime Minister was personally monitoring a host of departments and postal services were one of them.

“The Prime Minister spent about one-and-a half–hours on the postal department and has given suggestions, which will be considered,” he said, in reply to a query by Biju Janata Dal’s Tathagata Satapathy on the status of the banking licence applied for by the postal department.

Prasad said there was need for reforms in postal reforms as also upgradation of Grameen Dak Ghar Services, catering to the rural population.

Mobile networks

Prasad said the Government’s priority was also to improve BSNL services.

Responding to a question raised by Congress MP Ashok Chavan on poor mobile network in Naxal-affected regions in Maharashtra, Prasad said mobile networks, under the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) scheme in such areas are likely to be set up in 15 months.

A proposal to install mobile towers at 1,836 locations in nine States affected by Left Wing Extremism with funding support from USOF has already been approved, he added.

The Minister said Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) had installed mobile towers at 363 locations for which financial support to meet operational expenses would be provided through USOF.

On a question on lack of diesel supplies to BSNL mobile towers leading to their non-functionality and affecting security, he admitted there were concerns on diesel supply and “there is scope for improvement“.

The idea of using solar power for telecom towers was also being looked into, especially in the hilly regions of North East, Prasad said.

Source : The Hindu Business Line (This article was published on July 21, 2014)

Introduction of Combined Money Order Form for eMO, iMO and MMTS

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Source : http://www.indiapost.gov.in/

50 paise postcard costs Rs 7 to Postal Department

A postcard which is sold for 50 paise actually costs the government Rs 7, according to an RTI response from the postal department listing the costs incurred by it on such services which are proving to be loss-making propositions for it. 

In the year 2012-13, the per unit revenue earned from the sale of postcards was 50 paise whereas, to keep the service running, the per unit cost came to Rs 7.18, down from Rs 7.50 during 2010-11, the department said in its RTI response. 

Similarly, the printed postcard was bringing a revenue of Rs 6 although the cost incurred on it was Rs 7.19 per unit in the year 2012-13. The RTI query further found that the cost of a letter card was Rs 7.18 per unit whereas the revenue earned from it was Rs 2.50. 

The postal department also incurs a loss in dispatching registered newspapers with the per unit cost for a single dispatch being Rs 10.59 while Rs 20.79 is the cost for sending newspaper bundles. However, the revenue earned is a meagre 59 paise for single and Rs 1.63 for bundled dispatches, the reply said. 

The postal department also said that while insurance is offered at Rs 55.24, its cost was almost three times at Rs 141.82 during 2012-13. Each dispatch of a book packet costs the department Rs 9.51 but the revenue earned by it for every delivery is Rs 2.90. 

Each parcel brings revenue of Rs 40.69 while the cost incurred for sending the same is Rs 46.58. Printed books gave a revenue of Rs 2.90 to the department while the cost of dispatching such material was Rs 12.44, it added. 

The response provided to applicant SC Agrawal said, "It is submitted that no annual profit and loss account is prepared in this section. However, allocation of expenditure and revenue to around 30 services is being maintained every year as an annual costing exercise on the basis of data received from different sections of the directorate."

Kisan Vikas Patra (KVP) Re-Introduced

Press Information Bureau

Government of India

Ministry of Finance

10-July-2014 14:00 IST

Kisan Vikas Patra (KVP) Re-Introduced

Kisan Vikas Patra (KVP) is being re-introduced to encourage people, who may have banked and unbanked savings to invest in this instrument. Announcing this during his maiden Budget Speech in the Lok Sabha today, the Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley said that KVP was a very popular instrument among small savers and is being re-introduced to promote saving.