Govt expands postal network in remote areas of J&K, Northeast

New Delhi, Dec 4: A total of 1,617 post offices are currently operational in Jammu and Kashmir, serving an average area of 74.43 sq km per post office, according to the Ministry of Communications. The minister stated that during the 2023-24 financial year, 34 new post offices were opened to enhance access to postal, financial, and insurance services in remote and underserved areas of the Union Territory.

In the North Eastern Region (NER), which includes Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Sikkim, 8,755 post offices are operational, covering an average of 29.95 sq km per office. The Ministry highlighted that 1,631 new post offices were set up in NER during 2023-24 to improve service reach in remote and unbanked locations.

Responding to a question in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Communications, Dr. Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar, emphasized that opening new post offices is an ongoing process based on identified needs and prescribed norms. “Our aim is to ensure that even the most remote areas have access to essential postal services,” he said.

The move reflects the government’s commitment to improving infrastructure and accessibility in geographically challenging and underserved regions.