Five Star Villages Scheme | UPSC
HEADLINES:
India Post launches Five Star Villages Scheme to ensure 100% rural coverage of postal schemes
WHY IN NEWS:
Scheme to be implemented nation-wide, based on Maharashtra experience
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 3: Schemes
LEARNING:
For PRELIMS go through aim , features and the concept of Gramin Dak Sewak.
For MAINS do you think most features could be added to Dak Sewa ? How do Amazon , Bluedart or Alibaba manage the services with less networking than Indian Postal Services ?
ISSUE:
FIVE STAR VILLAGES SCHEME
AIM
- The Department of Posts has launched a scheme called Five Star Villages.
- The scheme seeks to bridge the gaps in public awareness and reach of postal products and services, especially in interior villages.
FEATURES
- All postal products and services will be made available and marketed and publicized at village level, under the Five Star Villages scheme.
- Branch offices will function as one-stop shop to cater all post office – related needs of villagers.
The schemes covered under the Five Star scheme include:
i) Savings Bank accounts, Recurrent Deposit Accounts, NSC / KVP certificates,
ii) Sukanya Samridhi Accounts/ PPF Accounts,
iii) Funded Post Office Savings Account linked India Post Payments Bank Accounts,
iv) Postal Life Insurance Policy/Rural Postal Life Insurance Policy and
v) Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana Account / Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana Account.
RATING
- if a village completes three schemes, then that village get three-star status and so on.
SIGNIFICANCE
- The scheme is being launched on pilot basis in Maharashtra.
- Based on the experiences in Maharashtra , it will be implemented nation-wide.
- The Postal Department has been playing a major role in the implementation of Government schemes, leveraging the immense strength of its vast network.
PILOT PROJECT
- The entire state of Maharashtra will be covered under the scheme.
- Two rural districts / areas for each region have been identified.
- Regional offices will identify the villages to be covered.
IMPLEMENTATION TEAM
- The scheme will be implemented by a team of five Gramin Dak Sevaks who will be assigned a village .
- This team will be headed by the Branch Post Master of the concerned Branch Office.
- Mail overseer will keep personal watch on progress of team on daily basis.
- The teams will be led and monitored by concerned Divisional Head, Assistant Superintendents Posts and Inspector Posts.
CAMPAIGN
- Wide publicity will be given by displaying the information on notice board of Branch Office.
- Prominent places of targeted villages like Panchayat Offices, schools, markets will also be used for advertising and pamphlets will be distributed.
- Small melas will be organized, considering COVID-19 safety guidelines.
TRAINING AND MONITORING
- Required training and infrastructure, covering all schemes, would be provided to all branch offices in identified villages.
- The scheme progress and target achievement will be closely monitored at Circle, Regional and Divisional levels.
- Monthly progress will be reviewed by the Chief Post Master General.
IASbhai WINDUP:
- Postman and Postal Department are a vital part of the ordinary citizen’s life.
- India Post has been serving the people in an extraordinary way in the difficult situation which has emerged due to COVID-19, by bringing them medicines and financial assistance.
SOURCES:THE HINDU & PIB | Five Star Villages Scheme | UPSC
DISCOVER MORE : SCHEMES
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