The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Department of Posts to go in for more public-private tie-ups

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Sep 08, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Department of Posts to go in for more public-private tie-ups

Staff Reporter

— Photo: V. Ganesan

FORMAL START: Union Minister for IT and Communications A. Raja at the opening of the new building of Flower Bazaar post office, in Chennai on Saturday. Principal Chief Postmaster-General (Tamil Nadu Circle) Indira Krishna Kumar and Postmaster-General M.S. Ramanujan are in the picture.

CHENNAI: The Department of Posts is planning to seek more public-private partnerships in segments with growth potential such as rural banking, to reduce the Rs.600-crore loss incurred by it annually, according to Union Minister for IT and Communications A. Raja.

Speaking at the opening of the new Flower Bazaar Post Office building here on Saturday, he said, “We have taken initiatives for productive and optimal use of land held by the Department of Posts to generate more revenue. The necessary legislations are expected during the monsoon session of Parliament.”

Mr. Raja stressed the importance of the use of post offices as rural banking outlets by private banks such as ICICI in promoting rural banking services.

“The development in communication technology has made some services of the postal department outdated. However, the department still remains the messenger for the common man in many areas,” he said.

“Development of better infrastructure including computerisation in 250 post offices in Tamil Nadu will be carried out by end of this financial year. A total of Rs.10 crore will be provided for construction of 10 new post offices in the State,” said Mr. Raja.

Later in an interaction with reporters, he said: “The 3G mobile services will be available by January 2009 in the country. The revenue for the government by the global auction of the 3G spectrum will be Rs.30,000 crore.”

The new Flower Bazaar post office will transact business, including delivery of mails, Speed Post, money orders, registered letters, Speed Post bookings, telephone revenue collections, sale of stamps and postal stationery, savings bank and savings certificate transactions, according to Kalaiyarasi Raamaswamy, Senior Superintendent of Post Offices, Chennai City North Division.

The new post office has been constructed at the cost of Rs.60 lakh. The total area of the building is 4,325 sqft.

Principal Chief Postmaster-General (Tamil Nadu Circle) Indira Krishna Kumar and Postmaster-General M.S. Ramanujan spoke.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu