Post offices will dispense voter IDs, passports soon

Mumbai: Post offices in the state will soon become multiutility service providers. They will not only provide mailing and financial services but will also dispense banking and general administrative services like issuing passports, Aadhar Card, and voter ID cards. According to General Post Office (GPO) officials’, work on upgrading servers and installing Internet facilities at all rural and urban post offices, to carry out the new activities, is underway. And the new services will be provided in next few months.

Speaking about the implementation of the new initiatives, a senior official of the GPO in Mumbai confirmed that two post offices in the western region would be turned into Post Office Passport Seva Kendras (POPSK).

“Two post offices at Daman and Silvassa are part of the first batch of 56 post offices across the country that will be converted into POPSK,” he said.

He added that the ministry of external affairs (MEA) had taken the decision in January. “The server upgradations and installation of facilities at the two selected post offices is also being carried out,” said the official.

The government is also mulling over introducing banking services at post offices across the court. In January, the central government had announced that India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) initiative would accept limited deposits and offer payment services.