Karnataka delivers 200 crore mails, parcels every year: Minister | Bengaluru News
Bengaluru: Union minister for communication Jyotiraditya M Scindia, looked to turn post offices into mall-like services, beyond banking and postal services they now provide. However, postal employees, during an interaction with him on Thursday, said they are already underpaid and overburdened, functioning beyond the stipulated five hours, and now being expected to perform more.The exchange took place at Townhall, where 15 best-performing ‘Gramin Dak Sevak’ (GDS) from Karnataka were felicitated in the presence of 800 of their counterparts. Among the GDS present from across the state were mail carriers, packers, mail delivery personnel, branch postmasters (BPM), and assistant branch postmasters.Scindia said in his speech, “Each post office in my village should become a small little mall for the village, where everything can be bought virtually. Today, dhakiya (postman/postwoman) is not just a purveyor of mail, but also brings banks to homes. The Karnataka circle has performed tremendously, with 200 crore mails and parcels delivered every year, 30% of which are done in this state.”During an interaction with the minister, B Nagarajappa, a BPM in Davanagere, said, “We just have a postmaster and clerk to cater to 46,500 live accounts, and need more hands onboard. We do the IPPB (India Post Payments Bank) work but do not get the benefits for our work — 75 per cent of the work related to banking is done by us, and the banks reap benefits.”Talking to TOI, another personnel from Channapatna said, “After working for 27 years, I earn only Rs 27,000 in hand. The last time salaries were revised was 10 years ago.”Several GDS personnel who spoke to TOI unanimously hoped the salaries would increase, their roles be made permanent, and their hours of service be recognised.
