India Post would be launching payment banking by March 2017: Telecom Minister

NEW DELHI: Indian Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has said that India Post would be launching Payment Banking by March 2017 at  the celebration of the Good Governance Week,

"So far 12000 branches of @IndiaPostOffice have been linked with Core Banking. By March 2016 25000 branches will have core banking facilities," said Prasad on his twitter account.

With this, the MInister has given hand held devices to Posts Masters from rural areas. "@IndiaPostOffice will offer services using this device," said Minister.

He said after the successful turn around of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), new initiatives have been taken for improving performance of Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) . He also announced launch of free incoming all over the country by MTNL from New Year.

Wi-Fi hotspots at Har ki Pauri, Haridwar and Dargah Sharif, Ajmer. "Inaugurated @BSNLCorporate public WiFi at Ganga ghats of Har Ki Pauri at Haridwar and Dargah Sharif Ajmer," the Minister said.

The Minister has also launched 16 BTS in Madhya Pradesh and 78 BTS in Uttar Pradesh in Naxal affected areas. &BSNLCorporate

This event involved active participation from Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY), Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and Department of Posts (DoP) and their agencies.

Prasad reiterated the commitment of the Government towards the successful implementation of ‘Digital India’ which would help to transform India into a truly digitally empowered society and knowledge economy in the 21st century.

He said the government is aiming at empowering people of India through digitalization. Millions of citizens have already joined in this initiative and invited others to do so. E-services should reach more people at the earliest and sought cooperation from State Governments, industry and acadmecia in the early achievement of this objective.

He also announced India BPO schemes that will take call centres to small towns. BPOs of 48,300 seats will create more than 1lakh employment.

Prasad has said that eight new Software Technology Parks of India ( STPI) centres will be opened soon. Two in Bihar 2 in Uttar Pradesh and four in Odisha.

The Minister also launched online laboratory for schools students. Now do science experiments online. It will help students who have no lab facilities.

The event saw the launch / inauguration of new 23 products / eServices.

The key launches are as follows: