Mobile
money order service in 3k Bihar post offices
by October
(The Times of India
This was stated by Brigadier G Bhuyan, State Chief Postmaster General, Bihar , while addressing a
press conference here on Wednesday.
Since the launch of the pilot project in four States of the country, Bihar has received and sent the highest number of money
orders. After the success of pilot project in Bihar, Haryana, Kerala and Delhi , the service would be made functional in five more
states - Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab
and Jharkhand - from August 16.
"In Bihar , the pilot project was
initially launched in 18 post offices only. After a month, it was introduced in
123 more post offices and another 105 post offices after three more weeks. Since
the launch of this service, we have completed over 1,000 mobile money order
transactions, sending over Rs 11 lakh and receiving more than Rs 18 lakh,"
said Brigadier Bhuyan.
Parimal Sinha, Director, Postal Services, Bihar ,
said, "We have given special training to postal employees to carry out the
service." Mobile money orders allow a person to send up to Rs 10,000 at a
go. The postal department charges Rs 45 as commission for money order of Rs
1,000 to Rs 1,500, Rs 79 for transaction of Rs 1,501 to Rs 5,000 and Rs 112 for
Rs 5,001 to Rs 10,000.
To avail the service, the sender has to go to post office and fill up a form
giving the mobile number of the recipient.
Once the form and cash is deposited
at the originating post office, four SMSes are generated by postal department,
of which one each is received by the sender and recipient of the money order
while the remaining two SMSes are received by the sender and recipient post
office.
When the receiver of the money order withdraws the money from the nearest
post office, again four SMSes are generated and sent to the same mobiles
confirming withdrawal of the money.
However, the receiver has to show his
identity card to withdraw the money.
Also, a special code is generated while
the money is being deposited by the sender, which can be used by the recipient
if his location shifts from the recipient post office.
Anil Kumar, Marketing Director, Postal department, Bihar
said, "BSNL is our technical partner in the service while a private
Gurgaon-based firm, Maverick Mobile, is the application partner." Though the postal department is using BSNL network, the sender and the recipient of
the mobile money order can use any mobile network of their choice.