Opening a Postal Bank account just a phone call away

NEW DELHI: Opening a postal bank account is just one phone call away and if you are a pensioner, the money will reach at your door step through your friendly postman. These are a few of the many customer friendly initiatives approved last week by the Postal Board.

Aimed at making postal banking a major commercial success, the board has identified a number of touch points that required ease of customer interface. Customers will soon be able to drop cheques in those forgotten red post boxes, to deposits money in their postal account. In order to open postal bank accounts, all a person has to do is call a number that will be announced soon. This call will be diverted to the local postman of the area. The postman will speak to the called number that will be displayed on his smartphone/tab, (to be soon issued to all post man) and fix an appointment to visit the caller.

He will take pictures of the necessary documents on his smart phone/tab and get it processed at the postal bank. Union Minister for Communications, Information Technology and Post Ravi Shankar Prasad has received the decisions taken by the board and is understood to have approved them.

The major support that postmen will offer is to the more than 5.5 million pensioners in India, who will soon get the benefit of receiving pensions at their door steps, delivered by their postman. “We have a target to launch these services before March 2017,” sources in the Department of Post said.

Among other benefits to customers include Core Banking Systems at all the places of historical, cultural and tourist importance, as well as all state capital cities. Which means that all the facilities that are available at major postal offices will be available to them The core banking system at all major post offices are in advanced stages of connecting to CBS.

New roles galore

• The post man will also act as a mini ATM, to help the old and infirm to deposit and withdraw money
• Postmen will carry hand held card swipe machines that will accept deposits and also withdraw money, if a prior request is made
• The Department of Port is aiming at a launch date before March 2017
• 5.5 million pensioners will get the benefit of receiving pensions at the doorstep, delivered by postmen
• The post man will also act as a mini ATM, to help the old and infirm to deposit and withdraw money
• Postmen will carry hand held card swipe machines that will accept deposits and also withdraw money, if a prior request is made
• The Department of Port is aiming at a launch date before March 2017
• 5.5 million pensioners will get the benefit of receiving pensions at the doorstep, delivered by postmen

Source : newindianexpress.com