Bhubaneswar, July 9: Union minister for information technology and communications Ravi Shankar Prasad today stressed on the need to upgrade post office network in the state, so that the digital platform could be used properly.

"The postal department has been trying to provide hassle-free banking and insurance solutions to the people. Through the digitalisation of the postal circle, its services will get better and so will its reach," said the Union minister.

He was speaking at the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the Baramunda post office building in the city today.

At present, the state houses 8,168 post offices, which includes 35 head offices, 1,162 sub-offices and 6,971 branch offices.

The Odisha Postal Circle has taken up a number of digitisation activities to facilitate its operations. Steps are being taken to educate the customers about using the digital customer redress facilities and popularising the Internet banking facilities.

"We are conducting customer meets to make the people aware about the benefits of various post office savings bank schemes and the need to link their accounts with Aadhar numbers," said Tilak De, chief postmaster general of the Odisha Postal Circle.

A host of digital facilities, including speed post (Book Now Pay Later), pack post that offers packaging solutions, mobile money transfer, business parcel, express parcel, logistics post, international parcel, direct post, bill mail/national bill mail services are also available in the state.

This apart, the circle is also expanding the core banking system at the post offices across the state. At present, the system is operating in 66 offices.

Plans are also on to introduce the rural information and communication technology solution in the next three months. It will computerise rural post offices and enable branch offices to deliver new and improved services to rural customers.

"Preparatory work for the same is under way. It will enhance the quality of services provided to the rural customers," said De.

The first postal ATM was launched in the city in April followed by ATMs in Cuttack, Puri, Rourkela and Sambalpur. "We have plans to set up 39 more ATMs in the state," said De.

Customer meets are also being organised to encourage them to open the Sukanya Samriddhi account that is especially designed for the girls.

"We have set a target of seven lakh new accounts this year," said De. At present, there are over 1.2 crore accounts across the country.