New Delhi, Aug 8 (PTI) The Consultative Committee on Communications and Information Technology, chaired by Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal, met here to discuss the role post offices can play in the development of rural India.
"The Post office can be the centre of activity, be it communication, banking, insurance, remittance and retailing service. The fundamental focus of the Department of Posts (DoP) is to reach the ''Aam Aadmi''," Sibal said.
The meeting, held last evening, was attended by the two Ministers of State, Sachin Pilot and Milind Deora, as well as Members of Parliament P K Biju, Vinay Kumar Pandey and Shri Shivraj Singh Lodhi.
The Telecom Minister said the post office network offers tremendous potential to contribute towards development of rural areas and people of that area.
Like any other development activity, development of rural areas requires an adequate support of appropriate infrastructure, he said.
"With its more than 1.39 lakh post offices in rural areas, DoP provides support in various critical functions through communication, financial services, life insurance products and other retail services.
"Reach, credibility ,experience, trained manpower, time tested operating and accounting procedures put the post offices in unique position of being the most suitable vehicle for rural development," Sibal said.
The rural Information Communication Technology (ICT) programme will further strengthen the delivery mechanism of all social security schemes, reduce the delay in payments and improve the quality and collection and sharing of information between post offices and state governments, he added.
The members participating also emphasised that the potential of the Indian Postal Network should be used to the maximum to offer services and products to the common man in rural areas.
They said employment generation in rural areas and improving the service hours and conditions of Gramin Dak Sewaks should be regarded important for revenue generation.
"The Post office can be the centre of activity, be it communication, banking, insurance, remittance and retailing service. The fundamental focus of the Department of Posts (DoP) is to reach the ''Aam Aadmi''," Sibal said.
The meeting, held last evening, was attended by the two Ministers of State, Sachin Pilot and Milind Deora, as well as Members of Parliament P K Biju, Vinay Kumar Pandey and Shri Shivraj Singh Lodhi.
The Telecom Minister said the post office network offers tremendous potential to contribute towards development of rural areas and people of that area.
Like any other development activity, development of rural areas requires an adequate support of appropriate infrastructure, he said.
"With its more than 1.39 lakh post offices in rural areas, DoP provides support in various critical functions through communication, financial services, life insurance products and other retail services.
"Reach, credibility ,experience, trained manpower, time tested operating and accounting procedures put the post offices in unique position of being the most suitable vehicle for rural development," Sibal said.
The rural Information Communication Technology (ICT) programme will further strengthen the delivery mechanism of all social security schemes, reduce the delay in payments and improve the quality and collection and sharing of information between post offices and state governments, he added.
The members participating also emphasised that the potential of the Indian Postal Network should be used to the maximum to offer services and products to the common man in rural areas.
They said employment generation in rural areas and improving the service hours and conditions of Gramin Dak Sewaks should be regarded important for revenue generation.
Source : http://news.in.msn.com, via : http://aipeup3bbsr.blogspot.in/
