Mangaluru: The Mangaluru Postal Division opened Common Service Centres in 27 Post Offices across the city on December 25.
Senior Superintendent of Post Offices Mangaluru, Shriharsha. N. told reporters, “Mangaluru Postal Division has opened common service centres in 27 post offices in the city. It will be extended to other post offices in phases.”
It is an initiative of the Ministry of Electronics & IT (MeitY), Government of Indiat o provide access points for delivery of various electronic services to villages in India, establishing the groundwork for a digitally and financially inclusive society.
“People can book appointments for the common service centres in Passport Seva Kendras by paying the prescribed fee and Rs 100 as a service fee in these centres at the post offices. They can apply for PAN cards by paying Rs 107 and submitting related documents such as proof of date of birth, residential address and their identity”, he added.
He further said, “People can get their vehicle FastTag accounts re-charged and also pay their LIC premiums. People, especially those from rural areas, need not go to LIC offices or other places to pay their premium. Instead, it can be paid at the Common Service Centres in the nearby post offices. “
People can book bus, train and flight tickets, pay their electricity bills, file IT returns and get their mobile phones re-charged in these centres. Besides, services related to birth and death certificates, different Pradhan Mantri schemes of the Union government, Sandhya Suraksha, applying for a driving licence and Jeevan Praman are also available in these centres.
The service centres have been opened in the following post offices in the city: Pandeshwar [Head Post Office], Kulashekara, Hampankatta, Kodialbail, Kankanady, Ashok Nagar, Bejai, Balmatta, Surathkal, Panambur, Kavoor, Kuluru, Kulai, Padil, Konchady, Katipalla and at the one in Ullal. On the city’s outskirts, they have been opened at Mulky, Bajpe, Kinnigoli, Mangalagangotri, Kinnikambla, Ganjimutt, Haleyangady, Belman, Mudkuru and Vamanjoor.
“People can now get Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple prasadam through SpeedPost. They have to go to a nearby post office and fill a prescribed application form and pay Rs 450 to get the prasadam” he mentioned.
The Postal Department has introduced this service as many devotees were unable to visit the Sabarimala temple now due to COVID-19 restrictions. Hence, the Postal Department has entered into an agreement with the Travancore Devaswom Board to deliver the prasadam on the doorsteps of devotees. The Postal Department is also offering Aadhaar registration and correction services in 39 post offices under Mangaluru Division
Shriharsha said that people can also invest in the Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme which will be introduced in post offices FYI 2020-21 from December 28, 2020, to January 1, 2021. The minimum investment for the scheme will be one gram gold.
