Postal Department an Integral Part of India’s Cultural System: CM Devendra Fadnavis

Modern Post Office Inaugurated Under ‘Jan Seva Connect’ Initiative

Mumbai, May 2026 : Devendra Fadnavis said on Thursday that the Postal Department is not merely a service provider but an integral part of India’s cultural and social fabric, as it has consistently connected people across the country irrespective of caste, religion or economic status.

The Chief Minister was speaking at the inauguration of a newly renovated, state-of-the-art post office near Andheri Railway Station in Mumbai under the ‘Jan Seva Connect’ initiative. The inauguration was carried out jointly by Fadnavis and Union Minister for Communications and Development of North Eastern Region Jyotiraditya Scindia.

MLA Ameet Satam, MLA Haroon Khan, Maharashtra-Goa Circle Chief Postmaster General Amitabh Singh and Postmaster General K. Arora were also present at the event.

Fadnavis said the postal system had played a crucial humanitarian role even during difficult times such as the Kargil War by delivering messages from soldiers to their families. He added that postmen had long served as carriers of human emotions and trust.

The Chief Minister noted that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of “Heritage and Development,” the Postal Department had modernised itself by adopting Aadhaar services, banking facilities and automatic parcel systems.

He said the department had faced major challenges due to the rise of internet-based communication platforms such as SMS and email, along with increasing competition from private courier services. However, the Centre’s reforms and modernisation initiatives had helped the department reinvent itself successfully.

Fadnavis highlighted that services such as the India Post Payments Bank had transformed the department and credited Union Minister Scindia for playing an important role in that transformation.

He further stated that the Postal Department had increased its revenue growth rate from 2.5 per cent to nearly 16 per cent this year and had set several new records while expanding its public services.

The Chief Minister also said the importance of postmen and postal services in social life had been reflected in the writings of celebrated Marathi author P. L. Deshpande and Hindi writer Sharad Joshi.

Fadnavis announced that around 2,200 post offices would be opened across Maharashtra under the ‘Jan Seva Connect’ initiative and thanked Prime Minister Modi and Union Minister Scindia for their support.

Addressing the gathering, Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said postmen continued to hold a special emotional place in the hearts of people in both villages and cities. He noted that through nearly 1.5 lakh post offices across the country, the Postal Department had consistently prioritised service to ordinary citizens.

Scindia revealed that India Post Life Insurance now has around 1.5 crore accounts with deposits nearing Rs 2 lakh crore, while the postal banking system has opened nearly 40 crore accounts, reflecting the immense trust people have placed in the institution.

He added that under the “Next Generation Post Office” concept, nearly 100 modern post offices have already been established across the country, equipped with facilities such as cafes, Wi-Fi, internet access, RFID systems and Aadhaar services.

The Union Minister also expressed the Centre’s intention to launch 25,000 post offices nationwide under the ‘Jan Seva Connect’ initiative.

The newly upgraded Andheri RS Post Office, originally established in 1932-33, has now been transformed into a modern, technology-driven and citizen-centric service centre featuring advanced infrastructure, digital systems and improved customer services.

During the programme, dignitaries unveiled a commemorative plaque, inspected the Aadhaar service centre and released a special postal cover dedicated to the ‘Jan Seva Connect’ initiative.