Centre Plans To open 1,000 ATMs In Post Offices :

17 May, Patna

Communications and Information Technology Minister Ravishankar Prasad has said that Centre is planning to open 1,000 Automated Teller Machines, ATMs in post offices all over the country to provide round the clock cash withdrawal facility.

Inaugurating the first postal ATM in Bihar at Patna, Prasad said the facility is part of efforts to increase the point of presence for customers, particularly in rural areas. He said, efforts are on to link post offices with the digital India Mission. The Minister said, there are around 98 crore mobile phones in the country at present and 30 crore people are availing Internet facility.

He said, the government wants 1.54 lakh post offices in the country to be part of the government’s digital India mission. Prasad said, Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a review meeting of the Postal Department had said it has to change with times by adopting latest technology and assured nobody would lose jobs but, the employees need to catch up with the latest technology.

Prasad said, hand-held devices would soon be used by postmen to ensure last-mile connectivity for banking transactions of India Post across its branches.