New Delhi, March 15 (IANS) Gramin Dak Sevaks are not the last mile of governance but the first mile, and without them government services cannot reach villages, Minister of State for Communications Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani said on Sunday.
Speaking at a Gramin Dak Sevak Sammelan in Chennai, Pemmasani praised the role of Gramin Dak Sevaks (GDS) in connecting rural India with government services.
He described them as the “heartbeat of rural India”, saying they play a vital role in ensuring that services and schemes reach people living in villages across the country.
“You are not the last mile of governance — you are the first mile. Without you, government services cannot reach the village,” the minister said.
“From delivering letters and parcels to helping people access banking services, Aadhaar and passport-related services, postal workers serve every village, street and household,” Pemmasani said.
He added that despite harsh weather conditions, they continue to act as a bridge of trust between the government and citizens.
Highlighting the growth of the logistics sector, Pemmasani said India Post has a major opportunity to expand its presence in the e-commerce market.
“India Post currently earns less than Rs 1,000 crore from parcel services, while a single private courier company generates around Rs 6,000 crore,” he noted.
The minister said that for many decades India Post served as the backbone of communication in the country by delivering legal documents, money orders, newspapers and books.
“In many villages, postmen also helped people read and write letters, acting as a trusted link between rural communities and the outside world,” the minister stated.
He highlighted that India today has one of the largest postal networks in the world. The system includes nearly four lakh regular employees and more than 2.5 lakh Gramin Dak Sevaks working through over 1.6 lakh post offices.
Pemmasani also said the government is working to transform the Department of Posts into a modern, technology-driven logistics organisation under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.
