In a few months, customers will be able to access their
savings accounts from any of four select post offices in the city.
The Department of Posts plans
to interconnect four head post offices (HPOs) in the city on the lines of core
banking technology, on a pilot basis. Customers will also have access to
automated teller machines (ATMs) to be set up in the Anna Road HPO, and the
post offices in Mylapore, T. Nagar and Tambaram.
A senior official said, “We
expect to launch the core banking facility in these post offices by March-end.
The system will be introduced in other post offices in the city in a phased
manner.”
Measures are afoot to seek ATM
equipment suppliers and construct ATMs inside the complexes of the post
offices. Once the facility is introduced, customers would not have to spend
time waiting at the counters to withdraw cash.
G. Mohan, a resident of
Mogappair, said, “I have a savings account in Vadapalani post office. If it is
extended to all head post offices, it will be useful to many customers like me
who visit the post office frequently to deposit or withdraw money.”
The core banking and ATM
facilities are also aimed at saving time for senior citizens. Officials said
that core banking would allow customers to carry out transactions from any of
the networked branch offices. Account holders could also check the details,
with regard to their deposits, online.
As on October 31, there are
nearly 45 lakh account holders in Chennai city region, which includes those in
other neighbouring districts. Of this, about 20 lakh account holders are in
Chennai and its suburbs alone.
This measure would also help
in reducing transaction costs for the department. Officials said that all post
offices across the State would be computerised and interconnected in a phased
manner.
People who hold accounts in
banks could also eventually use the ATMs to be set up by the postal department.
Depending on the patronage and availability of space, there are plans to
provide ATMs in locations away from the post offices.
Source -The Hindu
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