Date : 30.4.2017

May Day / Labour Day Wishes to All

May Day is now most commonly associated as a commemoration of the achievements of the labour movement. The holiday may also be known as Labour Day or International Worker's Day and is marked with a public holiday in over 80 countries.

The 1 May date is used because in 1884 the American Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions demanded an eight-hour workday, to come in effect as of 1 May 1886. This resulted in the general strike and the Haymarket Riot of 1886, but eventually also in the official sanction of the eight-hour workday.

In India, the first formal celebration of Labour Day was instigated by the Labour Kisan Party of Hindustan in Chennai (known as Madras) on 1 May 1923. It is observed as a holiday in Assam, Bihar, Goa, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Manipur, Tamil Nadu, Tripura and West Bengal.

Our Honourable Secretary , Department of Posts Speech on India Post Payment Bank.

Date : 29.4.2017

Our Honourable Secretary , Department of Posts Speech on India Post Payment Bank.

Our Postal Staff son won Gold & bronze medal in All India karate tournament championship 2017 in Delhi on 29/04/2017

Date : 30.4.2017

Our Postal Staff son won Gold & bronze medal in All India karate tournament championship 2017 in Delhi on 29/04/2017
Our Postal Staff of  SBCO - Anna road  HPO (Chennai) Smt. Vimalarani's son J V Ishi Abhraham,  9 years old won Gold & bronze medal in All India karate tournament championship 2017 in Delhi. So be a proud mother to feel proud the achievement of ur son. Hats Off.

NUGDS congratulates him for a bright and prosperous future

Date : 30.4.2017

Niti Aayog recommends hiring talent from private sector for govt jobs

Policy think-tank Niti Aayog has suggested outsourcing of public services to private hands in order to reduce dependence on the government administrative machinery. 

It has also recommended induction of specialists into the governance system through lateral entry, a move which, it says, will bring "competition to the established career bureaucracy". 

In its draft report on a three-year action agenda made public recently, the Niti Aayog has set a target of full- digitisation of governance-related works by the end of 2018- 19. 

Civil service is the backbone of the government and it needs to be empowered to make quick decisions and implement them. Sustained high levels of performance can only be achieved if it is objectively measured with high performance rewarded and poor reprimanded, it said. 

"Today, rising complexity of the economy has meant that policy-making is a specialised activity. Therefore, it is essential that specialists be inducted into the system through lateral entry. 

"Such entry will also have the beneficial side effect of bringing competition to the established career bureaucracy," as per the draft three-year action agenda for 2017-18 to 2019- 20. 

The draft was circulated among the Governing Council (consisting of chief ministers of all states and others) members of the Niti Aayog on April 23. 

The recommendation may come under criticism from Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers, who are part of top-level management in government departments. 

The Niti Aayog said the dependence on the government administrative machinery for the delivery of services needs to be reduced wherever possible. 

"We can make use of the power of Aadhaar-based identity verification to allow private channels to provide services wherever possible. Identification of such services should be taken up and public-private-partnership model to provide those services should be explored," the draft report said. 

It also favoured longer tenure for Secretary-rank officer in government departments. 

Currently, by the time officers are promoted from Additional Secretary to Secretary level, usually they have two years or less left before retirement. 

This feature creates two important inefficiencies, the report said. 

One: with a time horizon shorter than two years, the officer is hesitant to take any major initiatives; and two: the officer is reluctant to take decisions on any major project fearing any mis-step may become the cause for charges of favouritism or corruption post retirement. 

"This causes inordinate amount of delay in decision-making," it said, adding that one possible solution is early promotion to the Secretary position and introduction of lateral entry. 

The report said officers may be encouraged to gain expertise in specific areas in the early stages of their careers and the current system of rapid rotation of officers across ministries may be replaced by a system of longer postings according to specialisation. 

"Officers should also be encouraged to enhance their knowledge and skills in the chosen area of specialisation through intensive training. This specialisation by the internal staff needs to be complemented by lateral entry of highly specialised staff on fixed-term contracts," it said. 

Specialists could be brought on three to five year contracts as such a system will bring top talent and energy into the government system and lend new dynamism to ministries, the report said. 

All the 'letter of authorisation' whether bearing Director (SR &Legal) 's signature or not apllied during the month of April may be considered as per the standing instructions : Directorate Clarification

Date : 29.4.2017

Clarification regarding giving option for alteration/withdrawal or inclusion of new membership of service associations / unions in the month of April each year to be made effective from the month of July of that year.

Sri.Anant Narayan Nanda ,IPoS ( 1982) appointed as Secretary , Department of Posts

Date : 29.4.2017

Sri.Anant Narayan Nanda ,IPoS ( 1982) appointed as Secretary , Department of Posts.

EPFO to provide 10 lakh homes in next two years

Date : 29.4.2017

EPFO to provide 10 lakh homes in next two years :  Union Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya.

The Empoyees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) will join hands with the Urban Development Ministry to build 10 lakh homes in next two years, said Union Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya on Saturday.

He said this decision has been taken in order to give a fillip to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of home for all in 2022.

Talking to ANI here, Dattatreya said, "We have started Group Insurance Housing Scheme to give EPFO subscribers homes in phased manner. The EPFO will build 10 lakh homes in next two years with the help of Urban Development Ministry."

He urged the state governments to provide land for this purpose wherever it is needed.

He also said that discussion will be held with Ministry of Urban Development for providing Rs 2.2 lakh as interest subsidy to the beneficiaries of Economic Weaker Section (EWS) scheme.

"Similarly in EPFO, the middle income group and lower income group subscribers will get 3 percent interest subsidy on loan amount from Rs 6 lakh to 12 lakh, and 4 percent interest subsidy on loan amount up to Rs 18 lakh," said the Union Minister.

Date : 29.4.2017

The Law is Clear: Reserved Category Candidates Are Entitled to General Seats on the Basis of Merit

There is no law prescribing reservation for general category candidates in public employment and therefore there’s no question of reserved category candidates being selected against “their seats”.

Supreme Court. Credit: JSW

Some newspapers have misreported a recent judgment (Deepa EV v. Union of India) of the Supreme Court, claiming that the judgment states that candidates from the “reserved” category (SC/ST/OBC) can’t claim seats in the general category in any case. Such claims state that 50% of all seats are completely “reserved” for the general category, and no SC/ST/OBC person can have a claim on such seats, even on the basis of merit. However, the actual judgment does not imply anything of this sort. Moreover, the law on this point – whether reserved category candidates can claim seats in the general category on the basis of merit – is very clear.

In Deepa E.V., the appellant belonged to the OBC category and had availed age relaxation (as was granted to OBC category candidates). Since no candidate from the general category had secured the minimum cut-off score, the appellant filed a writ petition before the high court to be accommodated in the general category. The high court dismissed the petition. The Supreme Court affirmed this decision and held that:

“The appellant, who has applied under OBC Category by availing age relaxation and also attending the interview under the ‘OBC Category’ cannot claim right to be appointed under the General Category.”

The reason, as per the court, was “there is an express bar for the candidates belonging to SC/ST/OBC who have availed relaxation for being considered for General Category candidates.” The court was reading the existing rules and proceedings of Department of Personnel and Training, which stated that: “[W]hen a relaxed standard is applied in selecting an SC/ST/OBC candidates, for example in the age-limit, experience, qualification, permitted number of chances in written examination, extended zone of consideration larger than what is provided for general category candidates, etc., the SC/ST/OBC candidates are to be counted against reserved vacancies. Such candidates would be deemed as unavailable for consideration against unreserved vacancies.”

On similar lines, in 2015, in Gujarat Public Service Commission v. Parmar Nilesh Rajendrakumar, the Gujarat high court had held that:

“Considering the reservation policy applicable in the State of Gujarat contained in circular dated 29.01.2000 and 23.07.2004 and relevant statutory provisions i.e. Recruitment Rules, 1967, 2009 and 2010, it is held that all those candidates belonging to the reserved category if they avail the benefit of age relaxation, it is held to be relaxation in the standard, and therefore, are not entitled to their cases being considered for General Category vacancies and that their cases are required to be considered for the reserved category vacancies.”

The proposition developed by the courts in these two judgments is that when there is an existing policy regarding the express bar for those SC/ST/OBCs who have availed relaxation (such as age-relaxation) in a selection process, such “reserved” category candidates won’t be entitled to seats in the general category, even on the basis of merit. However, in Deepa E.V., the court had also observed: “Be it noted, in the instant case, the appellant has not challenged the constitutional validity of the proceedings dated 1.7.1998 read with Rule 9 of the Export Inspection Agency (Recruitment) Rules, 1980… [T]he appellant has only sought for a declaration that Exhibit P5 (proceedings dated 1.7.1998) is not binding on the appellant. No argument was canvassed challenging the constitutional validity of the proceedings before the learned Single Judge or before the Division Bench of the High Court.”

This observation by the Supreme Court is quite important in context of the correct position of the law on this issue. This is because if the constitutional validity of these proceedings had been challenged, they would have been struck down, as they are inconsistent with a number of decisions made by the Supreme Court and the high courts.

In the case of Jitendra Kumar Singh v. State of UP(2010), the Supreme Court was considering the UP Public Services (Reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Act, 1994 Act (“UP Act”) and government order dated March 25, 1994. The order stated: “If any person belonging to reserved categories is selected on the basis of merits in open competition along with general category candidates, then he will not be adjusted towards reserved category, that is, he shall be deemed to have been adjusted against the unreserved vacancies. It shall be immaterial that he has availed any facility or relaxation (like relaxation in age limit) available to reserved category.” The Supreme Court thereby stated that a bare perusal of the order implies that there is no express bar in the UP Act for SC/ST/OBC candidates being considered for posts under the general category. It held:

“From the above it becomes quite apparent that the relaxation in age limit is merely to enable the reserved category candidate to compete with the general category candidate, all other things being equal. The State has not treated the relaxation in age and fee as relaxation in the standard for selection, based on the merit of the candidate in the selection test i.e. Main Written Test followed by Interview. Therefore, such relaxations cannot deprive a reserved category candidate of the right to be considered as a general category candidate on the basis of merit in the competitive examination. Sub-section (2) of Section 8 further provides that Government Orders in force on the commencement of the Act in respect of the concessions and relaxations including relaxation in upper age limit which are not inconsistent with the Act continue to be applicable till they are modified or revoked.”

The court made it clear that: “With age relaxation and the fee concession, the reserved candidates are merely brought within the zone of consideration, so that they can participate in the open competition on merit.”

In Indra Sawhney v. Union of India (1992) popularly known as the Mandal case, the Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court had held:

“[It] is well to remember that the reservations under Article 16(4) do not operate like a communal reservation. It may well happen that some members belonging to, say, Scheduled Castes get selected in the open competition field on the basis of their own merit; they will not be counted against the quota reserved for Scheduled Castes; they will be treated as open competition candidates.”

In R.K. Sabharwal v. State of Punjab (1995), the Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court considered the question of appointment and promotion and roster points vis-a-vis reservation and thereby held:

“When a percentage of reservation is fixed in respect of a particular cadre and the roster indicates the reserve points, it has to be taken that the posts shown at the reserve points are to be filled from amongst the members of reserve categories and the candidates belonging to the general category are not entitled to be considered for the reserved posts. On the other hand the reserve category candidates can compete for the non-reserve posts and in the event of their appointment to the said posts; their number cannot be added and taken into consideration for working out the percentage of reservation…

No general category candidate can be appointed against a slot in the roster which is reserved for the Backward Class. The fact that considerable number of members of a Backward Class have been appointed/promoted against general seats in the State Services may be a relevant factor for the State Government to review the question of continuing reservation for the said class but so long as the instructions/rules providing certain percentage of reservations for the Backward Classes are operative the same have to be followed. Despite any number of appointees/promotees belonging to the Backward Classes against the general category posts the given percentage has to be provided in addition.”

In Union of India v. Virpal Singh Chauhan (1995), the Supreme Court held that while determining the number of posts reserved for SC and ST, the candidates belonging to reserved category but selected/promoted on the rule of merit (and not by virtue of rule of reservation) shall not be counted as reserved category candidates.

In Ritesh R. Sah v. Dr. Y.L. Yamul (1996), the question was whether a reserved category candidate who is entitled to be selected for admission in open competition on the basis of his/her own merit should be counted against the quota meant for the reserved category or if the candidate should be treated as a general candidate. The court reached the conclusion that when a candidate is admitted to an educational institution on his own merit, then such admission is not to be counted against the quota reserved for schedule castes or any other reserved category. It was held so in the following words:

“[W]hile a reserved category candidate entitled to admission on the basis of his merit will have the option of taking admission in the colleges where a specified number of seats have been kept reserved for reserved category but while computing the percentage of reservation he will be deemed to have been admitted as an open category candidate and not as a reserved category candidate.”

In Dr. N.T.R. University of Health Sciences v. Dubbasi Praveen Kumar, the division of the Andhra Pradesh & Telangana high court held:

“There cannot be any dispute with the proposition that if a candidate is entitled to be admitted on the basis of his own merit then such admission should not be counted against the quota reserved for Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe or any other reserved category since that will be against the constitutional mandate enshrined in Article 16(4).”

Moreover, in UP Power Corporation Ltd v. Nitin Kumar (Special Appeal No. 310 of 2015, judgment dated 19.05.2015), the division bench of the Allahabad high court, headed by the then chief justice D.Y. Chandrachud, had held that an unreserved post or seat/general category seat is one in which every individual, irrespective of the category to which the person belongs, can compete in open merit. It was further held:

“Where a candidate is meritorious enough to be placed within the zone of selected candidates independent of any claim of reservation and purely on the basis of the merit of the candidate, the candidate ought not to be relegated to a seat against the reserved category. The simple reason for this principle is that reservation is a process by which a certain number of posts or seats is carved out for stipulated categories such as OBC, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Unreserved seats do not constitute a reservation for candidates belonging to categories other than the reserved categories.”

Thus, there is no law prescribing reservation for general category candidates in public employment and therefore there does not arise any question of the reserved category candidates occupying or being selected against “their seats”. Since there is no concept of providing reservation to general category candidates, there cannot be any concept of “their fixed seats”. Such seats can be claimed by everyone on basis of merit. The judgment in the Deepa E.V. case is incomplete. Based on the precedents mentioned, the correct position would be that there can’t be any limitation on the reserved category candidates to claim a seat in the general category on the basis of merit. The relaxations provided are merely to bring the candidates of the reserved” category in a level-playing field, which is the spirit under the text of Article 16(4) of the Indian constitution.

The author is a final year student of B.A. LL.B (Hons.) at Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University, Lucknow. His twitter handle is @anuragbhaskar_ 

Talks With India Post On To Extend Weather, Health Services To Citizens

Date : 28.4.2017

Talks With India Post On To Extend Weather, Health Services To Citizens

India Post may supply general medicines in remote and inaccessible areas of the Country.

New Delhi: The Union Ministries of Earth Sciences and Health are in talks with the Department of Posts to use its resources to extend weather and medical services to citizens across the country. According to B V Sudhakar, Secretary, Department of Posts, the Ministry of Earth Sciences would like to use the manpower of Department of Posts to provide and also disseminate information on weather.

"We are going to provide weather data (on locally prevailing climate conditions) and also if Ministry of Earth Sciences want any data to be disseminated to the farmers or to the fishermen in coastal areas, the post offices will play the role of disseminating this information," Mr Sudhakar told PTI

NAPE Group 'C ' request Letter to Secretary , DoP : One time exemption to Skill Test for GDS who wrote Postal Assistant Exam in 2016.

Date : 28.4.2017

NAPE Group 'C ' request Letter to Secretary , DoP : One time exemption to Skill Test for GDS who wrote Postal Assistant Exam in 2016.

Signing of Tripartite MOU for broadband services to Post Offices

Date : 28.4.2017

Signing of Tripartite MOU for broadband services to Post Offices 

A tripartite Memorandum of Understanding has been signed today among BBNL, Department of Posts and BSNL for providing broadband connectivity of BharatNet to Post Offices in rural areas. The MoU signed under the chairmanship of Minister of Communications Shri Manoj Sinha is the first tri-partite agreement to provide broadband connectivity to about 1.3 lakh, post offices in rural areas and 25,000 sub-post offices for high speed internet connectivity to the rural masses.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Sinha said that the first phase of connecting about one lakh Gram Panchayats is nearing its completion and in the remaining one and a half lakh Gram Panchayats 100 mbps broadband connectivity will be completed by December, 2018. In reply to a question, the Minister said that BharatNet is one of the 9 pillars of realising the Prime Minister’s vision of Digital India.

Shri Sinha said that provision of citizen services is the focus of BharatNet and in the agreement signed today, BSNL is the service provider, that would provide broadband services, the cost of setting up of infrastructure and the operational expenses would be paid by the Department of Posts. Since the BharatNet is the National Network, BBNL would facilitate and coordinate this entire operation. In future, MoUs with other Government Departments are also proposed to be signed.

Press Information Bureau.

National Association of Postal Employees Group ' C ' Letter to Secretary , DoP : GDS to work as Postal Assistant

Date : 28.4.2017

National Association of Postal Employees Group ' C ' Letter to Secretary , DoP : GDS  to work as Postal Assistant 

NAPE Group-C BIDS FAREWELL TO SECRETARY ON HIS SUPERANNUATION

Date : 28.4.2017

NAPE Group-C BIDS FAREWELL TO SECRETARY ON HIS SUPERANNUATION

Today(28.04.2017) a group of CHQ office bearers consisting of  Sri D.Kishanrao, GS, Sri B.Shivakumar, AGS, Sri Sivaji Vasireddy, AGS and Sri  Sri Bahagavan, Financial Secretary felicitated Sri Boyapati Venkata Sudhakar, Secretary & Chairman Postal Services Board on his superannuation retirement. The NAPE Group-c remembered the yeoman services rendered to the India Post and it's staff at all levels especially last 9 months as head of the department. During his tenure he recommended to the GDS pay commission, removal of point system, liberalised compassionate appointments changed the transfer, policy introduced online GDS recruitment curbing the corruption in the appointments. As CPMG AP Circle introduced centralised tabulation in Departmental Promotion quota and announced the results before the appointing authority knows the result in a jumbling system. A new era ended today in the India Post progression towards new heights. The NAPE Group-c bids a warm farewell to the officer.

Profile of Shri B.V.SUDHAKAR, Secretary & Chairman Postal Board,Dept. of Posts : India

Shri Boyapati Venkata Sudhakar, IPoS (1981 batch) has been joined as Secretary, Department of Posts, India. He is the first Telugu person to assume the apex post in the Department of Posts. Earlier he was the Member (Technology) in the Department of Posts at New Delhi during which period he has involved himself in the introduction of Core Banking, Rural ICT programme in the Department of Posts so as to enable to reach the services of the Department to the rural masses.

Shri Sudhakar has born on 18-04-1957 in Kammapalem Village, Nellore District to Smt Anasuyadevi and Shri Yanadaiah.

The schooling of Shri Sudhakar was held at All Saints High School & St. Paul’s High School at Hyderabad. He has completed his Intermediate studies at Alia Junior College, Hyderabad. He has completed his B.Sc graduation from New Science College, Hyderabad and did Post graduation in M.Sc (Physics), M Phil & MBA through Osmania University, Hyderabad.

Before joining the Department of Posts, he has worked as Manager at A.P. Cooperative Bank, Hyderabad during 1978-81.

He has been selected to the Indian Postal Services in 1981. Subsequently he has served the department in various capacities in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamilnadu, Maharashtra, West Bengal & New Delhi.

Further he has worked as Regional Film Sensor Board Officer, Hyderabad; Director of Postal Accounts ; Commissioner, Employment & Training, Government of Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad; and Secretary, Information Commission, Andhra Pradesh on deputation.

He has introduced so many innovative schemes, products, services in the Department of Posts and in other Departments where he was on deputation. Some of the schemes like’ Aaseervachanam (TTD prasadam)’, Sale of TTD tickets through Post Offices, Sale of Haleem through Post Offices during Ramzan season, Introduction of ‘Nanyatha’ scheme to monitor Letter box clearance, sale of Godavari sacred water – ‘God jal’, Mechanised Delivery, Same day delivery, Introduction of new Application softwares like ‘Jabardast’ were the contributions of Shri Sudhakar to the Department as well as for the society. He has ensured the prompt filling-up of vacancies of the Postal Department which were unfilled for so many years. He has initiated to ensure compassionate appointments periodically rather monthly, in the interest of the families of diseased employees. 

National Association of Postal Employees Group 'C' Appeal to all Federations and Unions regarding Removal of Rule 3A (i) of GDS Conduct & Engagement Rules, 2011

Date : 27.4.2017

National Association of Postal Employees Group 'C' Appeal to all Federations and Unions regarding Removal of Rule 3A (i) of GDS Conduct & Engagement Rules, 2011

Payment of Dearness Allowance to Gramin Dak Sevaks effective 1.1.2017 onwards -Reg

Date : 27.4.2017

Payment of Dearness Allowance to Gramin Dak Sevaks effective 1.1.2017 onwards -Reg

Date : 27.4.2017

Government revamps jobs on compassionate ground for Gramin Dak Sevaks

Dependents of GDS to get benefit within 3 months

Department of Posts has revamped the existing compassionate engagement scheme offered to the dependent family members of Gramin Dak Sevak. A GDS who dies in harness, the dependents of such GDS will benefit from a liberalized and time bound procedure for engagement on compassionate grounds. Henceforth, any death of a Gramin Dak Sevak while on engagement would be compensated by a compassionate engagement to a dependent family member irrespective of the circumstances or indigence. Upper age limit of the applicant could also be relaxed wherever found to be necessary. Thus the new scheme of compassionate engagement will provide greater relief to the members of the family of the deceased GDS who belong to weaker and poorer sections of the society and are thrown into penury and hardship.

The ambit of dependent family member has also been expanded to include:

Married son living with parents and dependent for livelihood on the GDS on the date of death of the GDS

Divorced daughter wholly dependent on the GDS at the time of death of the GDS

Daughter in law of the deceased GDS who is wholly dependent on the GDS, if the only son of the GDS is pre deceased.

This expansion of definition of family members aims to bring greater relief to women in our society who are subjected to difficult circumstances in the unfortunate event of demise of their spouse/parent.

The present system of relative merit points to ascertain the degree of indigence has been dispensed with. Keeping in view the unique and distinct service conditions, socio economic aspects and to relieve the family from financial destitution, the time consuming process of consideration by Circle Relaxation Committee has been done away with. Henceforth, a request received for compassionate engagement would be considered and decided within three months from the date of receipt of the application.

Further to ensure least displacement, it has been decided that to the extent possible, compassionate engagement would be offered to the dependent of the deceased GDS, to a GDS post near the place where the family of the deceased normally resides.

Press Information Bureau.

Remuneration to be paid to the Gramin Dak Sevaks engaged as Substitutes in short term vacancies of Postman / Mail Guard and MTS.

Date : 26.4.2017

Remuneration to be paid to the Gramin Dak Sevaks engaged as Substitutes in short term vacancies of Postman / Mail Guard and MTS.

Date : 26.4.2017

India Post considers Aadhar-based cashless payment for postal services : Sri.B.V.Sudhakar , Secretary DoP

HYDERABAD: The India Post is examining an Aadhar-based cashless payment mode for postal services to facilitate digital transactions, a senior official said today. 

"If you give your credit card, debit card or Aadhar number in a post office, your bank link will come when your Aadhar number is entered," B V Sudhakar, secretary,Department of Posts, told reporters here. 

"Suppose, you have to make a registered post with some Rs 50 or Rs 20. That amount will be debited to you and credited to us. You don't have to carry cash. This is being worked out to facilitate digital payments...It will be expanded all over India," he said. 

A software has been developed for the purpose by AP Technology Services and successfully tested at the General Post Office in Hyderabad, he said. 

"We will test this on a pilot basis in some selected post offices in North, South, East and West (before rolling out)," Sudhakar said.

 Department of Posts is examining a proposal to allow installation of ATMs by any bank on the premises of the post offices. 

Department of Posts is examining a proposal to allow installation of ATMs by any bank on the premises of the post offices. 

"The proposal we are examining is, anybody can come and set up ATMs in the departmental post offices. They should pay us on the basis of transactions. It (the proposal) would be out approximately in one month," he said. 

The ATMs can be started in the 4,500 departmental buildings and the India Post Payment Bank (IPPB) is also working on having tie-ups with others, he said. 

The IPPB, started with an initial capital of Rs 800 crore, has so far opened two branches at Ranchi and Raipur. 

Sudhakar said 650 branches of IPPB would be opened with one being set up in every district by September 2017. 

The IPPB would primarily focus on financial inclusion, Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) and third party products. 

The IPPB would emphasise on "door-step banking," he said while expressing hope that the payment bank would be a "game- changer in rural economy." 

Noting that the Department of Posts has been aggressively pursuing financial inclusion by encouraging people to open savings accounts in post offices, he said the number of accounts increased from 33.03 crore in 2014-15 to 35.17 crore in 2016-17 upto February 2017. 

"Rs 7.02 lakh crore is the outstanding balance in all these (35.17 crore) accounts. It speaks volumes about the efforts being made by India Post in the direction of financial inclusion," he said. 

The Department of Posts had a revenue of Rs 13,000 crore and an expenditure of Rs 19,000 crore in 2015-16. The gap in expenditure and revenue is around Rs 6,000 crore. 

Observing that the expenditure is expected to rise in 2017 due to the implementation of the Pay Commission, he said the department would be able to make up for the deficit due to the new services. 

He said 978 stand-alone ATMs have been installed at different post offices in the country and they have been made inter-operable from December 31, 2016. 

India Post has worked with UIDAI to issue Aadhar cards through post offices and the service would commence from June 2017, Sudhakar added.