India Post is undertaking a massive IT modernisation programme involving an expenditure of about Rs 2,000 crore.
It entails setting up data centres, disaster recovery centres and a wide area network linking 30,000 departmental post offices and administrative offices.
The core business of India Post including mails, speed post, parcels and savings bank will be supported by an IT backbone for end-to-end tracking of transactions. Web-enabled services like e-Post , e-Payment , instant money order and e-money order will get a boost. The idea is to increase the consistency and reliability of delivery systems in line with global standards.
Given the massive reach of the post office, the objective is also to enhance financial inclusion for people in rural and semi-urban locations . This will be done through mobile remittances, mobile banking, etc. It also hopes to guarantee transparent delivery of social security and employment guarantee schemes.
For example, MGNREGS payments will be done using the rural IT devices thus reducing verification time and avoiding unauthorised users. Post offices would also be able to collect utility bills like telephone, electricity and water online and give electronic receipts.
The entire project will be implemented through eight separate contracts, including core system integration, hardware contracts and change management . Infosys is reported to have bagged the first of the IT modernisation contracts - the rural ICT system integrator, worth about Rs 100 crore.
Source : The Times of India Feb 7, 2012
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