25,000 post offices to be computerised in two years:Kerala PMG

Kochi, Sep 23 (UNI) Going ahead with its computerisation programme, the Department of Posts aims at computerising all 25,000 departmental post offices in India in the next two years, Post Master General, Kerala Central Region, Shoba Koshy said today.

Addressing a press conference here to unveil the new logo of 'India Post', Ms Koshy said so far about 80,000 post offices had been computerised all over the country, including 831 in Kerala.

Stating that Lakshadweep may emerge as the first fully computerised area in the country, Ms Koshy said that computerisation of all ten post offices -- one in each island of Lakshadweep -- was on the anvcil.

Under another initiative called 'Project Arrow', 50 post offices in over ten states are to be completely transformed in the first phase to emphasise the emerging corporate image that India Post would like to project, she said.

Describing bulk corporate mail as a huge business opportunity for post offices, Ms Koshy said several top corporate houses in the country were using 'Speed Post' on a regular basis.

Stating that the Kerala Circle did a business of nearly Rs 300 crore last year, the PMG said that the traditional postal services contributed almost 50 per cent of the income while the balance was through the new services.

UNI ARC KKS1740