Instant Money Order service to start from Chandigarh

Chandigarh, Oct 9 (UNI) Instant Money Order (IMO) service will be introduced from the Chandigarh General Post Office from October 12 for 28 places in India.

Chief Post Master General(Punjab Circle) Manjula Prashar today said that IMO is an instant web based money transfer service through Post Offices in the country between two resident individuals.

This instant on-line money transfer service gives speed, mobility, safety and reliability for money transfers, she stated.

Ms Prashar said one can transfer money from Rs 1,000 upto Rs 50,000 from designated IMO Post Offices. It is simple to send and receive money. A person can receive payment in cash below Rs 20,000 and by cheque if the amount is Rs 20,000 or more. He can also receive the payment through his post office savings bank account in the same IMO office.

The introduction of IMO service in Chandigarh is among the various future activities planned for the circle. These include computerisation of 16 more post offices in chandigarh this year. Also enlisting different concerns like BSNL, Reliance, Hutch and Air Tel etc under ''Retail Post'' to garner more business and enlisting Punjab State Electricity Board as one of the major consumers under ''Bill Mail Service''.

Future plans also aim at converting 500 more villages into ''Sampoorna Small Savings Villages, delivery of electricity bills in Muktsar and Tarn Taran districts and covering different universities/institutions like Punjab Technical Board, Chandigarh, Agriculture University, Ludhiana, and Punjabi University, Patiala for sale of prospectus and other material under ''Retail Post''.

Referring to significant initiatives undertaken in the circle, Mrs Prashar said that all the 22 Head Post Offices in the circle have been computerised.

She said that during the year 2005-06, the circle procured revenue of Rs 74.39 crores against the target of Rs 73.66 crores under Small Savings Schemes, which is 101 per cent achievement.

The Department of Post, Mrs Prashar, highlighted is celebrating a week long ''World Post Day'' from today. It will be holding functions at all head offices at divisional headquarters to apprise the public about the steps taken to improve the services, organising business meets and customer meets, holding painting competitions and educating school children on the functioning of post offices and mail offices.

UN VKJ DKB HT1852