Question : POST OFFICES IN RURAL AREAS

(a) whether the Government has any proposal for modernisation, computerisation and upgradation of post offices in the rural areas of the country;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Government has achieved the targets fixed in this regard;

(d) if so, the details thereof along with the funds allocated for this purpose during the last three years and the current year, State-wise; and

(e) the time by which all the post offices in rural areas of the country are likely to be computerised?

THE MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY & LAW AND JUSTICE (SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)

(a) Yes, Madam.

(b) The Government has approved the Department of Posts IT Modernization Project with a total outlay of Rs. 4909 crore in November, 2012. The IT Modernization Project aims at modernization and computerization of all post offices in the country including more than 130000 Gramin Dak Sewak Post Offices in rural areas.

(c) to (e) There was no specific target set for the modernization and computerization of rural post offices. The IT Modernization Project is being implemented through eight different segments and out of the eight, two segments i.e. Rural ICT- Application and Rural Hardware & Connectivity deal with digitalization of rural post offices.

In respect of Rural ICT- Application, the contract has been signed on 28-02-13 but the implementation is kept on hold to align with the finalization of Rural Hardware & Connectivity contract which is under finalization. For Rural ICT Hardware & Connectivity, earlier two tenders were annulled. Fresh tender was issued on 04-02-14 and evaluation of bids is in progress. All the Post offices in rural areas of the country will be computerized during current five year plan.

Funds for the Project is allocated centrally by the Government as the Project covers whole of India and hence no state-wise figures are available. The funds allocated and expenditure incurred for the last three years and for the current year is furnished below.

 
 Year	Budget	Expenditure	Remarks allocation	( Rs in Cr)	(Rs in Cr) 2011-12	536.59	91.92 2012-13	516.00	21.97 2013-14	532.21	253.73 2014-15	168.79	18.27	Budget not	allocated.	Funds for	the months	of April to	July, 14 to	the extent	of 1/3 of BE	for 2014-15 Rs	506.39 Cr.	Under Vote on	account for	the Year	2014-15.