BENGALURU: A khaki-clad postman with a satchel delivering eagerly awaited letters and parcels is not a sight we see often, especially in cities. Despite the increasing dependence on the internet and phones to keep in touch,
India Post is determined to stay relevant.
To commemorate National Postal Week from October 9 to 15, the department of posts honoured diligent drivers, postmasters and other postal staff at
Cunningham Road
. The most meritorious employees had travelled from various parts of the state to receive their awards.
Noted poet and playwright
Chandrashekhara Kambara, who presented the awards, expressed gratitude to the postal staff, who were the only source of information at a time when phones and televisions did not exist. "I feel very happy to be here and see these dedicated employees being honoured. We are very grateful for their service. They still hold an important position in the lives of people who rely on them for news," he said.
Under the department's IT modernization initiative, it has entered the core banking space.
India Post Payment Bank
has been registered as a public undertaking and nearly 650 branches will open across the country in 2017. Karnataka has 76 of the 961 ATMs commissioned nationally.