**Executive Summary**
This document is the response of the Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development to Unstarred Question No. 1821 concerning postal services in Howrah, West Bengal. Answered on December 10th, 2025, the report details improvements and changes made by the Department of Posts, including extended hours, establishment of a Dak Ghar Niryat Kendra, and changes to sub-post offices.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Improvements & Expansion of Postal Services:**
* Extended business hours at Howrah HO and Salkia HO for customer benefit.
* Established a Dak Ghar Niryat Kendra (DNK) at Howrah HO to support small businesses and MSMEs in exporting products, including documentation and customs clearance assistance.
* Introduced mobile parcel van facilities for door-step booking of postal articles.
* Created a Delivery Centre at Howrah HO to improve delivery efficiency in Howrah city.
* Issued over 5000 merchant QR codes through IPPB to enable digital payments for small businesses and shopkeepers.
* Installed POS (Point of Sale) devices in all Sub Post Offices and Head Offices in Howrah District to enable digital payment for postal transactions.
* Providing Aadhaar enrollment & updation services through selected Post offices in both rural and urban areas. In addition, Mobile-Aadhaar linking and child (below 5 years) Aadhaar enrolment services have also been provided.
* **Postal Financial Services:**
* Provided through a network of 2 Head Post offices, 82 Sub-Offices and 250 Branch Offices throughout the district, in addition to IPPB services.
* **Post Office Closures/Mergers:**
* Ten Non-Delivery Single handed Sub Post Offices in urban areas were merged with nearby Post offices due to not fulfilling distance and income norms, including: Pachal Bazar SO, Jagriti SO, Debendra Ganguly Road SO, Ross Road SO, Cowies Ghat Road SO, A Road Bamungachi SO, Howrah VC Mill SO, Goaberia SO, Andul Road SO and Abhoy Guha Road SO.
**Impact Analysis**
**Customers/Citizens of Howrah, West Bengal**
* **Impact:** Benefit from extended post office hours, improved delivery services, and access to digital payment options.
* **Action Required:** Utilize available services for postal needs and digital transactions.
**Small Businesses, Artisans, and MSMEs**
* **Impact:** Gain access to resources for exporting products, including an online platform for documentation and customs clearance through the Dak Ghar Niryat Kendra (DNK).
* **Action Required:** Utilize the Dak Ghar Niryat Kendra (DNK) services for export assistance.
**IPPB (Indian Post Payments Bank)**
* **Impact:** Involved in issuing merchant QR codes to small businesses/shopkeepers.
* **Action Required:** Continue supporting the digital payment initiative by issuing merchant QR codes.
**Post Office Staff**
* **Impact:** May experience changes in workload and responsibilities due to extended hours, new service offerings, and the integration of merged sub-post offices.
* **Action Required:** Adapt to changes in operations and service delivery, potentially requiring additional training on new services.
Key Entities Referenced
Department of Posts: The government department responsible for implementing postal services improvements.
Howrah: The district in West Bengal where the postal service improvements are focused.
IPPB (Indian Post Payments Bank): The entity issuing QR codes for digital payments in postal services.
Aadhaar: The unique identification program, with enrolment and updation services being provided through post offices.
Dak Ghar Niryat Kendra (DNK): Initiative established at Howrah HO to support MSME exports.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS
DEPARTMENT OF POSTS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1821
ANSWERED ON 10TH DECEMBER, 2025
POSTAL SERVICES IN HOWRAH, WEST BENGAL
1821. SMT. SAJDA AHMED:
Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has taken any steps to improve and expand postal services in the district of
Howrah, West Bengal during the last three years;
(b) if so, the details thereof, along with the proposal if any, to open new post offices or extend postal
facilities in rural and semi-urban areas of the district;
(c) the details of the post offices where financial services were introduced during the last three years in
Howrah district; and
(d) the details of the post offices that have closed operation in the district of Howrah during the last two
years and the reason of the closure thereto?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(DR. PEMMASANI CHANDRA SEKHAR)
(a) & (b) Yes, Sir. The Department of Posts has taken the following steps.
i. Business hours of selected Post Offices (Howrah HO and Salkia HO) have been extended
beyond standard business hours for the benefit of customers.
ii. A Dak Ghar Niryat Kendra (DNK) has been established at Howrah HO for providing services
and helping small businesses, artisans and MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises) to
export their products by providing an online platform for documentation and customs
clearance.
iii. Mobile parcel van facilities have been introduced in the district for door-step booking
facilities of postal articles.
iv. A Delivery Centre has been created at Howrah HO to make delivery system more efficient in
Howrah city area.
v. More than 5000 small merchant QR (quick response) codes have been issued by IPPB (Indian
Post Payments Bank) to small businessman/ shopkeepers to enable digital payments.
vi. POS (Point of Sale) devices are installed in all Sub Post Offices and Head Offices in Howrah
District to enable digital payment for postal transactions.
vii. Aadhaar enrolment & updation services are being provided through selected Post offices both
in rural and urban areas. In addition, Mobile-Aadhaar linking and child (below 5 years)
Aadhaar enrolment services have also been provided.
(c) Postal financial services are being provided through a network of 2 Head Post offices, 82 Sub-Offices
and 250 Branch Offices throughout the district in addition to IPPB services.
(d) Ten (10) Non-Delivery Single handed Sub Post Offices located in urban areas were merged with
nearby Post offices for not fulfilling distance and income norms. These Sub Post Offices are Pachal Bazar
SO, Jagriti SO, Debendra Ganguly Road SO, Ross Road SO, Cowies Ghat Road SO, A Road Bamungachi
SO, Howrah VC Mill SO, Goaberia SO, Andul Road SO and Abhoy Guha Road SO.
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