The Head Post Office (HPO) here has launched sale of ‘Gangajal’, the holy water drawn from the Ganges, and all the 200 bottles sold like hotcake on the opening day.
N. Kumaran Sethupathy, the scion of erstwhile Sethupathy Kingdom and N.J. Udaya Singh, Superintendent of Post Offices (Ramanathapuram Division), launched the sale here on Wednesday.
The HPO made available the Gangajal, drawn from the river in Rishikesh, in 500 ml bottles and 200 ml bottles. “All the 200 bottles were sold out and we have decided to place indent for 1,000 bottles each in 500 ml and 200 ml,” Mr. Singh said.
Next week, the bottled Gangajal would be available for sale at the Main Post Offices in Paramakudi and Rameswaram, and subsequently in other Post Offices in Kilakarai, RS Mangalam, Thiruvadanai, Mudukulathur, Kamudhi and Sayalkudi, he said.
The 500 ml bottle was priced at Rs. 22 and the 200 ml bottle Rs. 15, he said. “Based on demand, we propose to make the holy water available in all the post offices in the district,” Mr. Singh told The Hindu .
He said the Department of Posts also proposed to enlist customers and encourage the general public to join Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY), the government-backed accident insurance scheme with an annual premium of Rs. 12, and Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY), the government-backed life insurance scheme with an annual premium of Rs. 330.
More than 2,000 existing customers have joined the PMSBY and about 600 the PMJJBY. “We proposed to enrol 25,000 people in the PMSBY and 5,000 in the PMJJBY by next March,” he said. The department also encouraged people to join Atal Pension Yojana, the government-backed monthly pension scheme, he added.
