E-post service gains momentum in Karnataka
The inception of e-post service has helped the Karnataka postal circle rake in revenues to the tune of Rs 5,34,440 till April 30, 2007.
According to Meera Datta, postmaster general, the Karnataka circle has handled 53009 messages since the e-post service was introduced in January 30, 2004.
Terming the response towards the service as “encouraging,” Datta said, “There are 27 identified e-post centers in Karnataka. These identified e-post centers are equipped with computers, Internet and flatbed scanners to receive and send e-posts.”
Department of Posts (DoP) introduced the e-post service to bridge the digital divide and to bring the benefits of the Internet technology to rural areas.
“It truly bridges the digital divide. Whether you are in a metropolis or in a village, you can send and receive e-mail messages through e-post even without you or the addressee having access to a computer or Internet,” Datta told CyberMedia News.
The customers are charged Rs 10 per page of A4 size. E-post messages can be sent to any postal address in India or e-mail ID anywhere in the world.
The e-post center scans the message and e-mails it to the destination Post Office. The destination Post Office prints the message and delivers it to the addressee, enclosed in an e-post cover.
The post office issues a receipt at the destination for the tariff. If the source office is not an e-post center, then it would send the message to the nearest e-post center for onward electronic transmission.
“The message (only text for the time being) can be handed over in a floppy/CD along with clearly written addresses and e-mail IDs. The size should be such that it can be printed on an A4 size paper. The prints would be in black and white,” Datta says.
This service is available through out the country. All the Post Offices are identified as booking offices for e-post.
Besides messages, e-post service also facilitates sending e-greetings, multiple letters/communications, interview letters, notices, handwritten or printed messages, pictures, graphics and even messages in local languages.
The DoP has also introduced e-post pre-paid cards in Rs 500 and Rs 1000 denominations, available for online registration to send mails. One can access the e-post portal indiapost.nic.in and register as a user.
Datta added that the e-post service is slowly gaining momentum. “People need time to adapt to the new products. In urban areas, most of the people own computers, use Internet at home or at nearby cyber cafés. We are working towards marketing and bringing awareness about the product through advertisements. We have printed pamphlets detailing the products in Kannada to distribute among rural customers.”
