Talks With India Post On To Extend Weather, Health Services To Citizens

Talks With India Post On To Extend Weather, Health Services To Citizens

NEW DELHI: The Union Ministries of Earth Sciences and Health are in talks with the Department of Posts to use its resources to extend weather and medical services to citizens across the country. According to B V Sudhakar, Secretary, Department of Posts, the Ministry of Earth Sciences would like to use the manpower of Department of Posts to provide and also disseminate information on weather.

"We are going to provide weather data (on locally prevailing climate conditions) and also if Ministry of Earth Sciences want any data to be disseminated to the farmers or to the fishermen in coastal areas, the post offices will play the role of disseminating this information," Mr Sudhakar told PTI.

The technical details of the proposed arrangement have been finalised and the financial details are being worked out, he said.

The arrangement is expected to be rolled out in another two months, he said.

"It should be in another two months... Financially, we are discussing with them," he said.

The Ministry of Health wants the India Post to supply general medicines in remote and inaccessible areas of the country, the senior official said.

"We are talking with Ministry of Health to supply general medicines in remote rural areas where access is difficult. It has not been finalised. We hope we will be able to finalise shortly," he said.

The Ministry of Health is examining what medicines are to be supplied and where to supply and it needs to communicate on the matter to India Post, Mr Sudhakar added.