Digitised postal service receives good response in Dharwad district

Hubballi: The postal service, which has gone hi-tech by implementing digital technology, is getting positive feedback. More than a lakh post offices have implemented technology to provide hassle-free service and to attract more people to the postal service.

People in both urban and rural areas now rely on the postal service for a variety of digital services. Within a month, over 47,000 people in Dharwad district opened accounts with the post office to take advantage of the digital service. It is now reaching out to everyone and giving stiff competition to private firms.

There are 176 post offices in the district, with 115 in rural areas. All of these offices have gone digital. Online transactions, mobile banking, e-payment on bills, government schemes, citizens pension, and other digital services are available in all of these post offices, which are well received by the public.

Senior superintendent V S L Narashima Rao told TOI that all banking facilities are available in the postal department, including SB accounts, RD accounts with zero balances, NEFT, RTGS, and all online digital services. Aadhaar-enabled payment systems (AEPs) seek to increase financial participation by bringing transactions to customers' doorsteps via postal service.

All post offices and postal employees make the country's most remote corners accessible by facilitating people to open bank accounts, transfer funds, deposit and withdraw cash, recharge or pay bills, buy life and general insurance, and other services, he said.

The International Air Booking Centre was set up at the head post office and Hubballi. By allowing people to send goods abroad, the centre promotes international relations. Around 500 items, such as dresses, gift items, and festival-related parcels, have been sent abroad in the last two months.