Question : OPENING UP POST OFFICES IN RAJASTHAN

(a) whether the attention of the Government has been drawn to the demands for opening post offices, sub-post offices in various areas of Rajasthan;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) the present number of post offices, sub-post offices, village post offices functioning in Rajasthan;

(d) the details of the expansion plan for the post offices during the Tenth Five Year Plan;

(e) the measures being taken by the Government for strengthening and revamping of the postal department;

(f) the category-wise details of the existing vacancies in the post offices in Rajasthan; and

(g) the time by which the above vacancies are likely to be filled up?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (DR. SHAKEEL AHMAD)

(a) & (b): Yes, Sir. In Rajasthan proposals have been received for opening 1 Sub Post Office and 8 Branch Post Offices. The justification of these proposals require to be assessed as per norms fixed for opening post offices.

(c) There are at present 10450 Post Offices in Rajasthan. They include 51 Head Post Offices, 1384 Sub Post Offices, 99 Extra Departmental Sub Post Offices and 8916 Extra Departmental Branch Post Offices.

(d) Opening of Post Offices is an ongoing activity and Post Offices are opened subject to fulfilment of distance, population and income norms and subject to availability of resources. Hence it is not possible to indicate the total number of post offices that will be opened in Rajasthan under the 10th Plan at this juncture. However, 33 Extra Departmental Branch Post Offices and 3 Departmental Sub Post Offices have been opened so far under the 10th Plan.

(e) Measures being taken to strengthen and revamp the postal system include induction of technology to increase efficiency and productivity through the network and capacity to provide value added services, rationalisation of the network without affecting the level of access required as per policy, increasing revenues by introducing products and services, streamlining existing services and improving customer care.

(f) The category-wise details of existing vacancies in the post offices in Rajasthan are as under:

Postal Assistant/Sorting Assistant cadre	:	450	Postmen/Mail Guard cadre	:	317	Group `D` cadre	:	175