Bhubaneswar: In a bid to ensure hassle-free cash withdrawal amid the coronavirus outbreak, ATMs under Odisha Postal Circle will remain functional.
It is the decision of India Post to make sure all ATMs under their circles remain functional as the nation continues to come to terms with the 21-day lockdown.
Addressing a press conference Thursday, Chief Postmaster General Director (PMG) of Odisha Circle Subash Chandra Barmma said, “We have directed to activate all the ATMs under Odisha Postal Circle to facilitate our customers to withdraw money during lockdown.”
“More than Rs 3 crore cash has been withdrawn through Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AePS) last week. We have provided facility to more than 1 crore people to withdraw and deposit the cash at post offices during lockdown,” Barmma added.
“By March 31, total Rs 155 crore cash has been withdrawn and Rs 57 crore has been deposited in saving accounts of India Post in Odisha since lockdown,” the official said adding that the customers can withdraw cash by visiting personally to the post offices or counters during national lockdown.
Despite restrictions on many services including transport and movement of vehicles, the postal services are no way disrupted due to COVID-19 lockdown.
“All the postal regions in Odisha are functional. We are delivering and receiving the mails through special mail motor services across the state,” he added.
On the other hand, about the consignment delivery, Barmma said, the parcels containing medicines are being dispatched to the addressees on time. Moreover, special arrangements have also been made to deliver the medicines during lockdown.
“The medicines weighing up to 250 kg including 52 ventilators will reach Bhubaneswar shortly from Chennai via Kolkata. The consignment will be delivered to Odisha State Medical Corporation through a special road transport network within two days,” he added.
PNN