**Executive Summary**
This document provides answers to questions raised in Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1848 concerning the proposed closure and merger of post offices in Kasaragod district. The response, to be answered on February 11, 2026, addresses concerns about revenue considerations, service to rural populations, impact on financial inclusion, public protests, and continuity of postal services in remote areas. The document also includes an annexure that details the impact on financial inclusion.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Post Office Mergers/Relocations:**
* Post offices not meeting departmental norms are subject to merger or relocation.
* Uppala Gate and Hosbettu Branch Post Offices will be merged as they do not fulfill departmental norms.
* Talankara (Talangara) Sub Post Office is not planned for merger.
* **Service to Rural Populations:**
* Post offices in question serve coastal and rural populations.
* Banking and digital services are available through other post offices and bank branches in these areas.
* **Impact on Financial Inclusion:**
* The impact on small savings schemes, pension disbursement, and financial inclusion has been assessed.
* Merger of Talangara Post Office to Kasaragod Head Post Office may not have a severe impact on financial inclusion because the majority of accounts opened are by depositors outside of Talangara, and there are other Co-op Banks (Kerala Bank and Kasaragod Town co-operative bank) are functioning there.
* Uppala Gate and Hosebettu Branch Post Offices merger may not have an adverse impact on financial inclusion considering nearby sub post offices and public sector banks.
* **Public Protests:**
* Protests were organized by Samyuktha Samara Samithi and Service Unions (JCA of NFPE and FNPO) against the closures.
* **Continuity of Services:**
* Melas and special drives are conducted to popularize postal products and services.
* The Department of Posts will continue to provide all essential postal and financial inclusion services through its network, including in remote and economically weaker areas.
**Impact Analysis**
**Coastal and Rural Populations**
* **Impact**: May experience a reduction in the number of accessible post office locations, potentially affecting convenience.
* **Action Required**: Utilize alternative banking and digital services provided by other post offices and bank branches in the area.
**Customers using Uppala Gate and Hosbettu Branch Post Offices**
* **Impact**: Loss of convenience due to the merger of these offices.
* **Action Required**: Migrate their banking and postal activities to nearby Sub Post Offices or bank branches.
**Employees of Uppala Gate and Hosbettu Branch Post Offices**
* **Impact**: Potential job relocation or reassignment due to the merger.
* **Action Required**: Await further instruction and direction from the Department of Post regarding transfer and relocation.
Key Entities Referenced
Department of Posts: The primary subject of the document is the department's actions regarding post offices.
Kasaragod: District in Kerala where the post office closures/mergers are proposed.
Lok Sabha: Parliament of India, where the question regarding post office closures was raised.
Uppala Gate Branch Post Office: One of the post offices proposed to be merged.
Hosbettu Branch Post Office: One of the post offices proposed to be merged.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS
DEPARTMENT OF POSTS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1848
TO BE ANSWERED ON 11TH FEBRUARY, 2026
CLOSURE AND MERGER OF POST OFFICES IN KASARAGOD
1848. SHRI RAJMOHAN UNNITHAN:
Will the Minister of COMMUNICATION be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government proposes to close or merge long-standing sub-post offices and
branch post offices in Kasaragod district, including Talankara, Uppala Gate and Hosbettu, citing
revenue considerations and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether it is a fact that these post offices serve coastal and rural populations with limited
access to banking and digital services and if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the impact on small savings schemes, pension disbursement and financial inclusion
has been assessed and if so, the details thereof;
(d) whether public protests and representations from local bodies and employees' organisations
have been received opposing such closures and if so, the details thereof; and
(e) the steps taken or proposed to ensure continuity of essential postal services in remote and
economically weaker areas?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(DR. PEMMASANI CHANDRA SEKHAR)
(a) Post Offices not meeting the departmental norms are merged/relocated. Since Uppala Gate
and Hosbettu Branch Post Offices are not fulfilling departmental norms, these will be merged.
However, Talankara (Talangara) Sub Post Office is not planned for merger.
(b) Yes, Sir. These post offices serve coastal and rural populations. However, public of these
areas are being provided banking and digital services by other post offices as also the bank branches
are situated in these areas.
(c) Impact on small savings schemes, pension disbursement and financial inclusion has been
assessed and details are attached as Annexure.
(d) Yes, Sir. Protest was organized by Samyuktha Samara Samithi in front of Head Post Office
Kasaragod. Service Unions (JCA of NFPE and FNPO) organized Dharna in front of Kasaragod Head
post office.
(e) Melas and Special drives are conducted for popularizing various products and services of
India Post. The Department of Posts has been providing all essential postal services including mail
delivery services as well as financial inclusion services through its extensive network of post offices
and the same shall remain continued across the country including all remote and economically
weaker areas.
1Annexure
Annexure referred to in reply of para (c) of Lok Sabha Unstarred question No. 1848 to be
answered on 11th FEBRUARY, 2026 regarding “Closure and Merger of Post Offices in
Kasaragod”
1. As far as Talangara (Talangara) Post Office is concerned there is no pension beneficiary
under its jurisdiction. While taking the proposal of merging of Talangara Post Office to Kasaragod
Head Post Office there were only 1,886 accounts of which number of Savings Accounts are only
450. Though there are 1,211 Recurring Deposit accounts, major number of accounts were opened
through Mahila Pradhan Kshetriya Bachat Yojana (MPKBY) Agents by the depositors of outside of
Talangara area. There are 2 other Co-op Banks (Kerala Bank and Kasaragod Town co-operative bank
are functioning there. So the merger may not have a severe impact on financial inclusion.
2. In the case of Uppala Gate Branch Post Office, only 26 new accounts opened during this
financial year and total number of accounts standing in that office is 264. Similarly, Hosebettu
Branch Post Office has just 236 accounts only and considering the nearby sub post office and public
sector bank, there would not be any adverse impact on financial inclusion. Hosebettu Branch Post
Office has opened only 40 new accounts upto 30.09.2025. The minimum number of accounts
required to be opened by a BO in the current financial year is 400.
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