Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 25: Chief Secretary, Madhav Lal today highlighted the importance of modern postal service in day-to-day activities and said on upgrading and universalizing this service in the State keeping pace with the technological advancement.
“Technological growth has put greater challenge for postal service”, he said, adding that Postal Department has to modernize and fast track its activities to keep pace with new trends.
The Chief Secretary said this after inaugurating a Modern Post Office in Civil Secretariat premises here this morning.
The Post Master General, Jammu and Kashmir Circle, John Samuel, Commissioner Secretary ARI, Trainings, Ajaz Iqbal, Secretary GAD, Mushtaq Ahmad, Director Estates, Khurshid Ahmad and various officers from postal service were present on the occasion.
Expressing hope that the Modern Post Office in the Civil Secretariat would cater to the needs of both employees as well as those visiting the Civil Secretariat for various works, the Chief Secretary said that one-day delivery facility put in place in the new Post Office is expected to benefit the consumers to a greater extent.
He emphasized the need for upgrading and modernizing other Post Offices functioning in the State in a phased manner. He asked the Postal Department to work out a strategy to reach out the people across the State in prompt service delivery.
The Chief Secretary asked the Postal Department to work out a plan of introducing communication facility in the Post Office.
In his speech, Post Master General, John Samuel said that more than 1700 Post Offices are functioning presently in the State. He said 24 post offices have been identified to be modernized and computerized during the current year. Of these, 12 are in Srinagar and equal number in Jammu.
He said that Jammu and Kashmir Postal Circle has registered a growth of 22.5 percent during the last year. He said that a similar computerized Modern Post Office will be opened in the Civil Secretariat Srinagar next month. He said Lal Chowk Post Office is being converted into Tourist Post Office with post shop facilities.
He said Gandhi Nagar Post Office has already been improved and upgraded and it is being made fully air conditioned in near future. He said a new building has been constructed for the Post Office at Kargil which will be dedicated to public shortly.