Posts Dept, Rural Ministry Sign MoU on Rural Services
New Delhi: The Department of Posts and the Ministry of Rural Development today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance cooperation in the delivery of financial, digital and logistics services for Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and rural households across the country. The MoU was signed in the presence of Union Minister of Communications and Development of North Eastern Region Jyotiraditya M. Scindia and Union Minister of Rural Development and Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
According to the two ministries, the MoU seeks to deepen collaboration in support of rural development by leveraging the Department of Posts’ network for last-mile service delivery. The agreement aligns with the government’s stated objective of strengthening “Dak Sewa, Jan Sewa” and using India Post’s reach to support financial inclusion, digital access and livelihood-related initiatives in rural areas, as reflected in the Union Budget 2025–26.
The Department of Posts will deploy its network of over 1.5 lakh rural post offices, India Post Payments Bank (IPPB), and nearly 2.4 lakh Gramin Dak Sevaks to facilitate the delivery of services at the village level. The partnership aims to support financial inclusion, entrepreneurship, digital capability and market access for rural women, SHGs and community institutions.
Under the MoU, IPPB will provide doorstep banking services, including savings, payments and remittances, through its digital platform. Electronic tablets and Point of Sale (PoS) devices will be provided to SHG members to enable digital transactions, promote cashless payments and support record-keeping. SHG members will also be issued certificates to formally recognise their participation for financial and market linkages.
The Department of Posts will facilitate last-mile outreach through its postal staff and Gramin Dak Sevaks, including in remote and underserved regions. Market access for SHG products will be supported through Dak Ghar Niryat Kendras, enabling domestic and international marketing and export-related services.
The collaboration also covers Aadhaar enrolment and updation activities in rural areas to support beneficiary verification for schemes of the Ministry of Rural Development. Insurance coverage will be expanded through the promotion of Postal Life Insurance and Rural Postal Life Insurance, including enabling SHG members to work as insurance agents.
India Post Payments Bank will additionally support capacity-building initiatives by onboarding and training women from SHGs as Business Correspondents. The arrangement is intended to create income opportunities while facilitating financial literacy and digital service delivery within rural communities.
– global bihari bureau
