Question : Army Postal Service

(a) the names of various facilities provided by the Army Postal Service Core;

(b) the steps taken by the Government for making the said facilities more effective;

(c) the names of various service postal service locations where the said facilities are available, State/UT-wise;

(d) whether the Government has launched any portal to make the Army Postal Service Core more convenient; and

(e) if so, the details thereof along with the steps taken by the Government to make this service accessible to the rural areas and if not, the reasons therefor?

THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) OF THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS &
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
(SHRI MANOJ SINHA)

(a) I. The following services of the Department of Posts (DoP) are provided mutatis mutandis by the Army Postal Service Core:

(i) Mails Services to defence personnel and their families (i.e. Speed Post, Registered letter, Registered Parcel, Insured letter, Insured Parcel).
(ii) Financial Services :-Post Office Savings Bank and Savings Certificates (i.e. Saving Bank, Recurring Deposit, Monthly Income Scheme, Public Provident Fund, Senior Citizen Savings Scheme, Sukanya Samriddhi Accounts, Kisan Vikas Patra, & National Savings Certificate and other banking facilities of Post Offices).
(iii) Philately.
(iv) Postal Life Insurance.

II. In addition to above, the following services are provided by Army Postal Service to Armed Forces with the approval of DoP:

(i) Debit Army Post Logistics
(ii) Debit Army e-Post
(iii) News Paper & periodicals
(iv) Registered/ Unregistered Schedule Despatch Service




(v) Electronic Savings Bank Money Order(Commission Free Money Orders)
(vi) Field Postal Orders (FPOs)

(b) The following steps have been taken to make the facilities more effective:-

(i) Approval of Ministry of Defence has already been accorded for inclusion of Army Postal Service Corps into “IT Modernization Project” of Department of Posts, Ministry of Communications vide their letter No PC to MF 92301/APS-8/R-365/214/D(Mov) dated 27th January, 2016.

(ii) On introduction of above services, Army Postal Service will be in a position to provide real time on line banking/Postal Life Insurance services along with provision of ATM facilities to troops and formations.

(iii) In addition, the Army Postal Service is extending the benefits of Government schemes & facilities through its Field Post Offices which also includes Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana aimed at empowering the girl child.

(c) The services are being provided through 474 X Field Post Offices across the country where Army Units are located. Due to security reasons, the locations cannot be divulged.
(d) Yes, Madam. There are two portals launched by Army Postal Service. Army Postal Service web page is available through Internet i.e. www.indianarmy.nic.in and through Army Intranet.

(e) To create more awareness about the services available through Field Post Offices, standees, information kiosks have also been installed at prominent places at Army HQ, Command HQ, Corps HQ and Division HQ. The APS is not serving rural areas as that is not part of its mandate


**************************