Question : Internet Connectivity to Post Offices

(a) whether the Government is aware that there is an urgent need to provide internet connectivity to post offices in rural areas to facilitate the delivery of various services to rural masses;

(b) if so, the action taken by the Government in this regard;

(c) whether the Government has any proposal to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with Department of Posts and BSNL for providing internet connectivity to rural masses;

(d) if so, whether the Government has made any progress in this regard; and

(e) if so, the efforts taken by the Government to ensure better internet connectivity to the rural people?

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

(a) Yes Madam. The Government is aware that there is need to provide secure network connectivity to Post Offices in rural areas to facilitate the delivery of various services to rural masses and therefore the Government is implementing Information Technology (IT) Modernization Project to achieve this objective.

(b) Department of Posts is implementing Information Technology (IT) Modernization Project under which, provision of secure network connectivity to all the post offices is envisaged. There are 12593 Departmental Post Offices in rural areas out of which, 12216 Post Offices have already been networked under single WAN (Wide Area Network) through two service providers. Further, there are 1,29,323 Branch Post Offices in rural areas. Under Information Technology (IT) Modernization Project, Department of Posts is providing SIM based Handheld devices to all the Branch Post offices which will enable them to provide Money Order payments, On-line Banking facilities, Booking of Postal articles and payment of Postal Life Insurance (PLI) and Rural Postal Life Insurance (RPLI) premium. The Project is being rolled out in a phased manner. 29,327 Branch Post Offices have been provided with Handheld devices as on 12.07.2017.

(c) to (e) A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed on 28.04.2017 between the Department of Posts, Bharat Broadband Network Limited and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited wherein it is proposed to provide Broadband services at the Post offices of Department of Posts in all feasible locations by utilizing the infrastructure created under BharatNet Project at the Gram Panchayats as per Digital India Initiative. A list of Post Offices located in Gram Panchayat villages, where BharatNet connectivity is available has been shared by Department of Posts with BBNL & BSNL.