Modernisation of 1.55 lakh post offices at a cost of over Rs 4,900 crore.

        The government has cleared a proposal to modernise 1.55 lakh post offices across the country over the next two years at a cost of over Rs 4,900 crore.

"The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs today approved the proposal of Rs 4,909 crore towards IT modernization project of the Department of Posts, covering 1.55 lakhs post offices," official statement said.

Under this plan, all post offices will be connected through a computer network. This will enable the Department to provide facilities similar to core banking system, besides efficient delivery of services, disbursal of government subsidies and seamless access of its services.

The statement said that the IT modernisation project is expected to "provide access (to services of the department) by multiple channels to customers, for example, post office counters, kiosks, internet, mobiles ATMs, etc".
   
In this phase, DoP will provide 30,000 netbooks and 1 lakh handheld devices to its officials and postmen for delivery of services, like subsidies and immediate updation of records, at doorsteps.

"IT modernisation project has been structured into 8 segments ...such as data centre, network, computers and peripherals, software applications which will cover all the product and services of the Department of Posts, and change management which will help in effective transformation into IT mode," the statement said.
    
Earlier on 2010, government had earlier approved Rs 1,877 crore for IT modernisation project which had been spent and the Department required additional funds for expansion of the project across country.
Source : PTI