The Department of Posts (DoP) is hoping to wipe off its revenue deficit of Rs 121 crore in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana by the end of the financial year 2015-16. The deficit has been slashed down from Rs. 268 crore in 2013-14 and Rs. 381 crore in 2014-15.
This was possible owing to the good response to various new schemes and adoption of advanced technologies, said Mr. B.V. Sudhakar, the Chief Post Master General of A.P and Telangana.
Addressing the media after launching ‘Turanth’, the DoP’s scheme of cashless transactions, at the head post office here on Friday, Mr. Sudhakar said 26 counter services could be available by using debit/credit card(s) of any bank by swiping them on Point-of-Sale (POS) machines to be set up by State Bank of India (SBI). The scheme has already been launched at Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam and Rajahmundry.
No extra charges would be collected from customers. They can book registered post articles, speed post articles, parcels and other services through POS machines whose number would depend on demand. Customers in rural areas can withdraw up to Rs 1,000.
‘Banking at Doorstep’ Mr. Sudhakar said a new scheme, ‘Banking at Doorstep’, aimed at senior citizens, would be launched in all major towns in a week or ten days. Senior citizens need to make a phone call to the post office concerned and also follow it up with an e-mail and cash would be delivered at their doorstep.
Transactions under this venture would be authenticated on the basis of voice recognition by software developed by DoP and integrated with the Core Banking Solution (CBS) systems.
To benefit from this scheme, customers have to register by paying Rs. 100 and Rs. 20 would be charged per transaction.
There was an increase of around four lakh in the number of mails handled by the DoP in A.P and Telangana from 18.50 lakh in 2013-14 to 22.50 lakh in 2014-15.
God-Jal
Mr. Sudhakar said nearly 1.46 lakh bottles of purified Godavari River water, named ‘God-Jal’(‘Godavari Jalam’), have so far been sold by the DoP in connection with the ongoing Godavari Maha Pushkaram. It was targeted to sell seven lakh bottles costing Rs 20 each.
