300 postal staff face music for non-delivery of money orders

More than 300 postal department employees were punished for non-delivery of money orders in 2013-14, the Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday.

Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the postal department had received 80,000 complaints out of a total 10.9 crore money orders worth Rs 12,241 crore sent in 2013-14 through the post offices in the country. “It is just 0.07 per cent of the total 10.09 crore money orders handled by the Postal Department in 2013-14. We have taken action against 300 postal department employees after finding them guilty,” he said. Prasad said enquiries were conducted to ascertain the actual reason for non-payment or late payment of money orders.  

The cause of delay for payment of money order could be due to several reasons like absence of payee, non-availability of payee at the time of delivery, death of payee, wrong or incomplete address or incorrect PIN code. “If any official is found at fault in late payment or non-payment of money orders, suitable administrative or disciplinary action is taken depending on gravity of lapses noticed,” he said.