'All post offices to be linked to India Post Payments Bank system by Dec 31'
New Delhi, Aug 29 : All the 1.55 lakh post offices in the country would be linked to the India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) system by December 31, 2018, Communications Minister Manoj Sinha said on Wednesday.
The India Post Payments Bank is scheduled to be launched nation-wide on September 1.
"On the day of the launch, IPPB would have 650 branches and 3,250 access points spread across the country," the minister told reporters.
By the end of 2018, the number of access points would increase to 1.55 lakh, of which 1.30 lakh branches would be in rural areas, Sinha said.
Further, account holders of the Post Office Savings Bank would also be able to avail IPPB services by linking their accounts, he added.
The account holders in the payments bank would be provided a QR card and they can authorise transactions with the card and their biometrics, he added.
Meanwhile, the Union cabinet on Wednesday approved for revision of the project outlay for setting up of the payments bank from Rs 800 crore to Rs 1,435 crore.
The additional sum of Rs 635 crore is on account of Rs 400 crore for technology costs and Rs 235 crore for human resource costs, according to an official statement.
The bank would provide services such as current account, savings account, remittances, money transfer, direct benefit transfer, enterprise and merchant payment, the minister informed, adding that the services would be available through multiple channels including counter services, micro ATM, mobile banking applications, SMS and IVR (Interactive Voice Response).
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Karnataka govt seeks agency to manage rural drinking water units: Minister
Belagavi (Karnataka) (PTI): Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge on Wednesday said the state government is working to appoint an agency to manage clean drinking water units in rural areas.
The state Rural Development and Panchayat Raj minister was responding to a question by Hirekerur MLA U B Banakar in the legislative assembly.
"In the rural areas of the state, many clean drinking water units have been set up under corporate social responsibility (CSR) grants, including contributions by MLAs and MPs, and handed over to gram panchayats. After the maintenance period, problems have arisen in keeping these units operational," Priyank said.
He added that a proposal has been made to award a maintenance contract to one of the country’s reputed drinking water unit manufacturing companies, but so far, no companies have come forward to take up the work.
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"The government is continuing its efforts and will resolve this problem soon," he said.
On a query regarding fluoride content in water, the minister said water quality testing is being conducted monthly in all zilla panchayats.
"Laboratories have been opened for this purpose. Around 6.5 lakh water samples have been tested across the state, and water testing kits have been provided to villages," he added.
