NEW DELHI: More than
300 postal department employees were punished for non-delivery of money orders
in 2013-14, Lok Sabha was informed today.
Telecom Minister Ravi
Shankar Prasad said the postal department had received 80,000 complaints out of
a total of 10.9 crore money orders worth Rs 12,241 crore sent in 2013-14
through the post offices in the country.
"It is just 0.07
per cent of the total 10.09 crore money orders handled by the Postal Department
in 2013-14. We have taken action against 300 postal department employees after
finding them guilty," he said during Question Hour.
Prasad said enquiries
were conducted to ascertain the actual reason for non-payment or late payment
of money orders. The cause of delay for payment of money order could be due to
several reasons like absence of payee, non-availability of payee at the time of
delivery, death of payee, wrong or incomplete address or incorrect PIN code.
"If any official
is found at fault in late payment or non-payment of money orders, suitable
administrative or disciplinary action is taken depending on gravity of lapses
noticed," he said.
The Minister said in
case of non-payment of money orders due to service fault, duplicate money
orders are issued. The Postal Department has introduced electronic transmission
of money orders for speedy transmission to the office of delivery, besides
taking other action.
Prasad said government
has introduced instant money order service on January 20, 2006, which is now
available in 16,785 post offices across the country. The service is instant,
convenient, reliable and affordable.
The maximum limit of
remitting money is Rs 50,000 whereas for the ordinary money order, it is Rs
5,000 only. The tariff charge for this service is also very low as compared to
the ordinary money order, he said.
//copy// PTI