Parliament Question: Closure of Sub-Post Offices in Kasargod

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF POSTS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3207 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11TH MARCH, 2026 CLOSURE OF SUB-POST OFFICES IN KASARGOD 3207. SHRI RAJMOHAN UNNITHAN: Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government proposes closure or merger of Talankara, Uppala Gate and Hosbettu post offices in Kasargod district citing operational or revenue considerations and if so, the details thereof; (b) whether it is a fact that these post offices provide essential services including pensions, savings schemes and postal banking to rural and coastal populations with limited alternatives and if so, the details thereof; (c) whether any social impact assessment has been conducted before initiating such closures and if so, the details thereof; and (d) the steps taken or proposed to protect continuity of postal services and financial inclusion 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 i.e. distance/population/ income norms are merged or relocated. Since Uppala Gate and Hosbettu Branch Post Offices are not fulfilling these departmental norms, these are to be merged. However, Talankara (Talangara) Sub Post Office is not planned for merger. (b) These post offices provide various postal services to rural and coastal populations as provided by any other post office in the country, which include mail, banking, insurance, direct benefit transfer etc. services. However, above post offices have been merged due to not meeting the departmental norms. Nevertheless, public of these areas are being provided the postal and banking services smoothly by other nearby post offices. (c) Yes, Sir. Social impact assessment has been conducted before initiating the merger of above post offices and details are attached as Annexure. (d) Postal Melas and Special Drives are conducted for popularizing various products and services available through the post offices. The Department of Posts has been providing all essential postal services including mail delivery services as well as banking services encouraging financial inclusion through its extensive network of post offices and the same shall remain continue 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. 3207 to be answered on 11th MARCH, 2026 regarding “Closure of Sub-Post Offices in Kasargod” 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 Kasargod 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 Kasargod 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. ***** 2