Army Postal Service celebrates 36th Corps Day

Chandigarh, Mar 1 (UNI) The Army Postal Services Corps (APS) today celebrated its 36th anniversary at Headquarters Western Command Chandimandir.

The celebration was attended by all the senior officers of the Command and personnel of the APS. This was followed by 'Barakhana' for all serving and former APS personnel stationed in Chandigarh, Chandimandir, Panchkula and Mohali.

Over the past years, the APS has had made rapid strides in technological advancements thereby leading to a much more efficient system of communication. Army post offices in the Western Command have been provided with multipurpose counter machines and most of the operations and telegrams transmission have been computerised.

Further, nearly 20 post offices are in the process for activation as e-Post Centres for transmission of e-post articles in the command. Also on the anvil is the establishment of a data centre, enlarging e-Post and banking facilities to the field areas as well.

Automation of Field Post Offices (FPOs) and one CBPO and various APS units in Western Command is also being undertaken on priority.

Although the APS came into existence as a separate Corps on March 1, 1972, the FPO is more than 150 years old. The first FPO was raised in 1856 initially as a war time organisation accompanying the Indian Expeditionary Force abroad. Thereafter in Jammu and Kashmir operation of 1947-48, the organisation of FPOs was initially affiliated to Army Service Corps and APS personnel were finally declared combatants in 1950. Further, on July 1, 1969 the collection, transport and delivery of official mail (SDS) was taken away from Signals and entrusted to APS.

The APS is an integral part of the Indian Army and functions as an extension of Department of Posts (Ministry of Communication and IT) to meet specific needs of the Armed Forces, Border Road Organisation and para military forces.

UNI PS DS RN1653