e-Post Service launched
INDIA POST BRIDGES THE DIGITAL DIVIDE
The Department of Posts (DoP) has introduced nation-wide e-Post Service with a view to bridge the digital divide and to bring the benefit of the revolutionary internet technology to the people living in the rural areas and other remote areas. Launching this service at a function here today, the Secretary, Department of Posts, Shri Vijay Bhushan stated that e-Post is a great landmark in the history of India Post. He said that a pilot project in 205 Post Offices in five States, namely, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa and Kerala was started two years ago and it is now being launched nation-wide. With the launching of e-Post service by India Post, he stated that e-mail can now be sent and received by even people living in remote areas, even without the sender or the addressee having access to the computers or internet. About 650 Post Offices have been designated as e-Post Centres covering all districts and major towns. These e-Post Centres are provided with Internet connection, computers, printers and other necessary equipment. All other Post Offices will book the e-Post messages and send them to the nodal e-Post Centre for transmission. The service can be availed across the counter in the Post Offices or through pre-paid cards. e-Post messages will be treated at par with the unregistered letters under the Indian Post Offices Act, 1898. The rates for the e-Post services are Rs.10 per page per addressee.
Highlighting the features of the e-Post Service, Shri Bhushan stated that the e-Post service is not limited to the e-Post Centres. It can be availed of from any Post Office. Messages booked at other Post Offices are sent to e-Post Centres for scanning and dispatch. Similarly, messages received at e-Post Centres for areas beyond their delivery jurisdiction are printed and sent to the concerned Post Offices for delivery. He further added that besides delivering to the postal address anywhere in India, e-Post messages can also be delivered to any e-mail ID anywhere in the world. Since e-Post messages are scanned and sent, they can be in any language and can even be handwritten. They could also contain pictures and graphics and can be sent to multiple addresses, he stated.
Besides availing e-Post Service through Post Office it can also be accessed from customer’s home or office. Customer can access the service at the e-Post portal indiapost.nic.in. Customer has to register as the user and can make payment through the pre-paid card that is available from selected Post Offices. The pre-paid cards are of Rs.500 and Rs.1000.