HimVani
Shimla (Nov 27): In a move to safeguard the future of post offices and provide more facilities to people, value-added banking services will be started in selected post offices in Himachal Pradesh soon.
Under the plan, ATM machines will be installed at the chosen post offices and, ATM cards be issued to people availing this facility. Users will be allowed to withdraw money anywhere using these cards and services of electronic transfer of money will be made available to them. Al post offices having this facility will be interlinked to each other under the plan. Under the Union government’s plan to expand financial and government services in post offices, banking facilities will be provided to customers in Post Offices by mid of next year. “The central government has decided to start banking services in about 4,000 selected post offices in the country. The services will be core banking services and users will have the facility of electronic transaction of money at these post offices,” said Chief Post Master of Himachal circle, Humera Ahmad.
Ahmad added: “As many as 61 post offices under this plan will be provided with the facility of core banking in Himachal Pradesh. Post offices at all the district headquarters and major towns of the hill state will be covered under the project”.
“However, the plan will be more successful when people living in rural areas will be able to access banking services at their nearby post offices. It may take some time to extend this facility in post offices in remote areas but with passage of time it will be available there,” added Ahmad. The users will be able to use their current and business accounts through the post office after the launching of these services. There are 400 post offices in Himachal Pradesh.
