IT Modernisation of Postal Department Costs Rs. 445 Crore

The IT modernization project of the Department of Posts saw an expenditure of Rs 445.4 crore this fiscal year (2023-24) so far, according to a written reply by Minister of State for Communications Devusinh Chauhan in the Rajya Sabha.

Approved in February 2022, the project aims to modernize the Department’s technology infrastructure with a total budget of Rs 5,785 crore over eight years. For the previous fiscal year (2022-23), the expenditure was Rs 1,087.48 crore.

Key achievements:

• Central connectivity: All post offices are now connected through a dedicated Wide Area Network.
• Digital mail operations: Mail delivery is now digitized through the Android-based Postman Mobile Application.
• Core banking system: Departmental post offices are transitioning to a core banking system.
• Mobile devices: 1.36 lakh branch post offices are equipped with Android-based mobile devices.

No plans for renting out estates:

Responding to a question about recommendations to explore renting out postal estates and utilizing vacant land through the BOT model, the minister clarified that no such proposal is currently under consideration.