By IANS,
New Delhi : A bill for revamping the postal department, which includes opening up some segments to private players, will be introduced in parliament soon, Communications and IT Minister Kapil Sibal said Thursday.
The bill also aims at registration of couriers by an independent registration authority, Sibal said while addressing the Economic Editors Conference here.
The minister added that a detailed project report on the setting up of a Postal Bank of India will be finalised in the next six months.
“This will enable India Post to extend micro credit and other loans through vast network of 1.55 lakh post offices, coupled with other financial services like micro-remittance, micro-insurance and micro-pensions,” he said.
The revamped postal network will boast of over 1.55 lakh computerised post offices, banking services through post offices with ATM facility and delivery of banking, insurance and mailing services in rural areas through hand-held devices.