NSE to deploy LCD TV screens in 50 post offices

Now you can monitor the price of your favourite stocks even as you wait in a queue at a postal counter. India Post has signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Stock Exchange for deploying LCD TV screens in 50 select post offices across India.

The MoU is aimed at creating financial awareness among the public. The screens will disseminate information leading to financial awareness and also relating to various postal products and services.

''This step will bring the financial market place closer to the people considering the importance and footfall at post offices,'' said a statement from India Post. ''Besides publicising products available in post offices, India Post will use the facility to train the postal staff. Showcasing information about market will help people develop live skills about finances and people will be able to manage their finances better.''

The MoU was signed by Alka Jha, general manager (BP), India Post, and T. Venkat Rao, vice-president, NSE.

India Post is currently implementing a five-year 'Strategic plan' aimed at making it the 'first choice' of its customers. It has three ongoing flagship projects in the first phase of implementing this plan. They include India Post 2012 for networking and IT induction in all post offices; Project Arrow for improving the look and feel of post offices; and Mail Network Optimisation Project for optimising the network from collection to delivery and standardising the processes.

These three projects will provide a platform for modernising and expanding the range of products and services and enhancing the quality of services.

Earlier this month, India Post signed an MoU with VFS Global to provide visa-related services for different diplomatic missions through post offices. Post offices will provide a host of services including fee collection, providing visa application forms, dissemination of visa information, biometric enrollment and other visa application process related services.

 VFS Global, a subsidiary of Swiss multinational Kuoni Group, is a leading international outsourcing and technology service specialist for diplomatic missions and governments. It serves the diplomatic missions of 35 countries by managing all the administrative and non-judgmental tasks related to the entire life-cycle of a visa application process, enabling the missions to focus on the key tasks of assessment and interview.