By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, MAY 23, 2020: MR Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union Minister of Communications, Law & Justice and Electronics and IT instructed the Chief Post Master Generals and  senior officers of India Post  to work towards realising the vision of the Prime Minister for an AatmaNirbhar Bharat. Union Minister reviewed the activities and efforts of Department of Posts during Covin-19 crisis through Video Conference yesterday. Mr Sanjay Shamrao Dhotre, Minister of State for Communications, Mr P. K. Bisoi Secretary, Posts, Ms. Arundhaty Ghosh, DG, Postal Services and other Senior officers also attended the VC at the Head Quarters. All the Chief Postmaster Generals attended through VC from respective Circle Headquarters.

The VC was conducted on first “Make in India” VC Solution developed by C-DOT. As such, it was also a first successful trial run of the VC solution.

Highlights of the Covid efforts of India Post are:

• More than 2000 tonnes of medicines and medical equipment were booked and delivered to needy individuals and hospitals across the country.
• Road Transport Network running more than 25000 Kms daily and carrying more than 75 tonnes of mails and parcels, was introduced to strengthen the supply chain.
• Around Rs.1500 Crore disbursed at the door step using Aadhar enabled Payment System (AePS) of India Post Payments Bank to around 85 lakh beneficiaries.
• 75 lakh electronic money orders (EMO) payments made under various schemes of financial inclusion worth Rs.760 Crore.
• Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT) payments worth Rs.1100 crore disbursed in beneficiary accounts.
• Around 6 lakh food and ration packets were distributed to labourers, municipal workers etc. through self-contribution and in association with NGOs.

      The CPMGs shared the activities undertaken as a dedicated team effort of postal staff. Different circles excelled in different activities like:

• Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh pioneered in tie ups with pharmaceutical and medicine company and providing logistic solution.
• Bihar, Uttar Pradesh , Gujarat , Andhra Pradesh , Rajasthan , Punjab and Telangana have been leading states in financial inclusion.
• Delhi , West Bengal and Maharashtra circles performed well in ensuring the gateway for North, North East and Southern states of the country.
• Haryana , Karnatka , Kerala circles developed customised apps for receiving service request from public and fulfilment thereof.

Certain innovative models of service delivery and promoting regional specialities were also shared by the CPMGs such as :

• Jammu & Kashmir has finalised delivery of Prasad of Mata Vaishno Devi Temple and Saffron  from Kashmir across the country shortly.
• Punjab is promoting booking and distribution of Indian medicines through post offices and also in association with CSCs.
• Bihar excelled in taking “Apka Bank Apke Dwar” with around 11.65 lakh disbursal worth Rs.147 crore.

Union Minister, sharing his vision for the Department, instructed the CPMGs and  senior officers of India Post  to work towards realising the vision of the Prime Minister for an AatmaNirbhar Bharat. He spelt out the following priority areas in post-Covid situation for the Department:

• Provide logistics support for Indian Systems of Medicines that include Ayurveda , Unani , Siddha etc. in different parts of the country.
• “Dakiya” should become first resource for collecting database of migrants, their skill sets, opening of their accounts and facilitate payments under MGNREGA and other Govt. Schemes.
• India Post should prepare strategic plan, dovetailing suggestions from the field, to become flag bearer of an Indian Supply Chain through which tele-medicine, agri-products, handicrafts, artisan products and other local specialities can be connected from producer to ultimate buyer eliminating the middleman.
• He emphasised that experience gained from distribution of medicines and essential items during Covid period has created this opportunity to scale-up the model.
• The Minister also appreciated the good work of the postal employees and officers in their role as “Covid Warriors”. 

Concluding the event, Union Minister emphasized that ordinary Indian has to be empowered with vast network of Post Office and the power of technology i.e. digital inclusion supplemented by financial inclusion and strong physical supply chain.