(a) the details of services rendered by the Post Offices in the country;
(b) whether Postal Department is undertaking Extra-Postal Services like accepting Income Tax Returns, Passport applications, selling of application forms relating to various examinations etc.;
(c) if so, the details of such services undertaken by the Postal Department;
(d) whether the department is equipped with sufficient employees for undertaking
such extra-departmental services; and
(e) if so, the details thereof?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (DR. SHAKEEL AHMAD)
(a) The Indian Postal System currently provides a number of services, which can
be broadly classified into four categories: Communication services (Letters, Letter
Cards, Post Cards, Printed Post Cards, Competition Post Cards, Registered Newspapers,
etc.), Transportation services (Parcel, Logistics Post), Financial Services (Savings
Bank, Money Order, International Money Transfer Services, Public Private Partnership
for extending financial service outreach through the post office network, Postal
Life Insurance ) and Premium Value Added Services (like Speed Post, Business Post,
Retail Post).
(b) Yes, Sir.
(c) Department of Posts has the largest Postal Network in the world with 1,55,516
post offices of which 89% are in the rural areas. Department of Posts is leveraging
its network to offer services like acceptance of payment of utility bills, sale of
application forms relating to various examinations, acceptance of loan applications
on behalf of financial institutions, acceptance of Income Tax and Service Tax returns etc.
(d) & (e) Such additional services are taken up by the Department of Posts with
the objective of optimal utilization of existing manpower and infrastructure, which is
adequate for the purpose.