Abhijith N Kolpe

Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Aug 16: India Post has not remained the same compared to the earlier days. Today, post offices have completely transformed by reaching out to the people at large with various schemes and services. Post offices have stepped into every sector including banking, insurance, bill payments, Aadhar enrolment/updation, and multiple Prime Minister’s schemes ensuring that every service is within the public’s reach.

Dakshina Kannada district consists of two divisions, Mangaluru and Puttur. Mangaluru postal division has 148 post offices which include two head post offices, 51 sub post offices, and 95 branch post offices. As many as 39 post offices of Mangaluru provide Aadhaar enrolment and updation services and caters to more than 13,500 people every month.

Mangaluru division stands first in the state having the highest number of Mahila Samman Savings Certificate 2023 (MSSC) with 9,000 accounts in the last four months.

Briefing about the schemes provided by post offices, senior superintendent of post offices, Mangaluru division, M Sudhakara Mallya said, “Whenever people hear about post office, letters, parcel, money order, letter box and postmen come to their mind. Unlike earlier, the post offices are now upgraded in terms of services provided to its customers.

“Post offices provide banking services such as postal savings account with 4% interest, RD account at 6.5% where they have to deposit Rs 100 for five years and take returns up to Rs 7,000. There is fixed deposit for one year, 2 years, 3 years and 5 years with interest ranging from 6.9% to 7.5%.

“There is also a monthly income scheme at 7.4% interest where one can invest up to Rs 9 lac individually and Rs 15 lac jointly. Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana is exclusively for girl children from the age group of 0-10 years where they can open the account and deposit Rs 250. Once the girl child completes 18 years, they have a provision to take 50% of their money for education or for the purpose of marriage.

“Public Provident Fund earns good returns at 7.1% interest on a 15-year duration. In the senior citizen savings scheme, one could invest up to Rs 15 lac. After April 1, it was extended to Rs 30 lac with 8.2% interest. National Saving Certificate and KVP schemes also available at post office.

“The Mahila Samman Savings certificate is exclusively for women with 7.5% interest and good returns after 2 years,” he said.

Prime Minister’s Schemes

India Post provides services of various Prime Minister’s schemes such as Pradhan Manthri Suraksha Bhima Yojana (PMSBY), Pradhan Manthri Jeevan Jyothi Bhima Yojana (PMJJBY) and Atal Pension Yojana (APY).

In PMSBY, the beneficiaries can secure an accident coverage up to Rs 2 lac for a premium of Rs 20 per annum. Through the PMJJBY scheme, subscribers can get Rs 2 lac life insurance coverage by paying a premium of Rs 436 per annum.

The APY is open to all in the age group of 18 to 40 years and the contributions differ, based on pension amount chosen. Subscribers would receive the guaranteed minimum monthly pension of Rs 1000 or Rs 2000 or Rs 3000 or Rs 4000 or Rs 5000 at the age of 60 years.

Insurance

The postal department has also stepped into insurance sector. Earlier, it was limited to only government servants, but now it is extended to professionals and degree holders. The postal life insurance will give a coverage of up to Rs 20000 to Rs 50 lac, with low premium and high bonus.

In rural postal life insurance, one can get a coverage up to Rs 10 lac under different policies.

Under group insurance, the beneficiaries can pay Rs 396 or Rs 399 and can get an accident coverage up to Rs 10 lac. Under the accidental dismemberment and paralysis, the dismemberment which is permanent in nature, occurs within 365 days of the accident date.

Sovereign gold bond

Under sovereign gold bond scheme, individuals and HUFs can invest up to 4 kgs annually, while trusts or similar entities can invest up to 20kg per annum. The tenure of these bonds is 8 years. It also offers an interest rate of 2.50% per annum. At the time of maturity, the gold value at current market prices is returned along with the interest income.

Common service centre

All the post offices have common service centres. The public can make use of these centres to pay electricity bill, LIC premium, mobile recharge, NPS contribution, book bus/flight/railway tickets, apply for PAN card, passport and many more.

The Mangaluru division has introduced a service of home delivery of birth and death certificates through postal services. Every month, 500-700 birth and death certificates are delivered to the door steps. Kerala is making use of this benefit in high numbers.

Project Mangala

The postal department has introduced Project Mangala where convocation certificates will be delivered to the students’ door steps after they apply in their respective educational institutions. They have the provision to opt to get it delivered through speed post.

Rakhi post scheme and Guruvandana

Rakhi and Guruvandana are coming up on August 30 and September 5 respectively. The postal department has introduced a scheme where sisters can send Rakhi to their brothers and soldiers by paying Rs 120 online on www.karnatakapost.gov.in website. The students can send their wishes and gift to their teachers using services provided by post offices on the eve of Guruvandana.

Dak Ghar Niryat Kendra

In order to give boost to small traders and MSMEs, post offices have started Dak Ghar Niryat Kendra where the traders can export their goods. The service is available at Mangaluru head post office and Surathkal post office. Traders can use this service by producing the right documents to export.

Delivery of temple prasadam

The post offices have made a provision to deliver prasadam from various religious shrines to the devotees. During Makarasankramana, devotees in high numbers deliver and receive prasadam from Sabarimala temple.

Beneficiaries of various schemes: Money will reach to door steps

The government has introduced various pro-people schemes where money was being paid to the beneficiaries through account-based payment. Now it is changed to Aadhaar-based payment. The money will paid to the account which is seeded to the Aadhaar. If the post office saving account is seeded with Aadhaar, then that account will get receive the money.

Aadhar update

Public can update and enrol for new Aadhaar card at the 39 centers of Mangaluru division. As many as 13,500 Aadhaar enrolment and updates are being done every month. Mangaluru head post office at Pandeshwar has made a special provision to avail new Aadhaar card for 18 years and above. Post offices are also conducting Aadhaar camps. In the coming days, camps will be conducted at Kateel SDPT School and temple premises from August 16-19, Bondanthila on August 27, Yekkar gram panchayat on August 28 and at Mulky post office on September 3 and Jeppinamogaru on September 24.