Srinagar, Aug 22: Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah inaugurated Floating Post Office-cum-Museum and flagged off Srinagar-Shopian Mail Van here Monday evening, facilities created by the Post and Telegraph Department.
 Minister for New and Renewable Energy, Dr. Farooq Abdullah, Union Minister of State for Communications and IT, Sachin Pilot the Minister for Tourism, Nawang Rigzin Jora, Minister of State for Tourism, Nasir Aslam Wani and Chief Post Master General, Jammu and Kashmir Circle, John Samuel were present on the occasion.
 Addressing a function at Nehru Park on the occasion, the Chief Minister highlighted the importance of Floating Post Office in Dal Lake for the visiting tourists and the residents, an official statement said.
  “Your initiative to revive the facility of Floating Post Office at Dal Lake is praise worthy,” he told the Post and Telegraph Department, adding that the facility would prove a boon to the tourism sector in the State.
 He said that this facility which exists in the Dal Lake some 20 years ago diminished with the diminishing of tourism due to unfavourable and disturbing circumstances and finally came to a standstill.
 Omar Abdullah expressed the hope that the Floating Post Office-cum Museum would grow with the growth and revival of tourism in the State.
 He asked the Union Minister for enhancing IT and telecommunication facilities in the far-off and hilly backward areas of the State. “We are providing your department a list of the areas requiring digital satellite telephone facilities”, he said underlining the need for such facilities in the State and extending the IT and communication network.
 The Chief Minister also appreciated the one day postal delivery service programme launched by the Post and Telegraph Department for ensuring fast delivery of mail across the State.
 He said that with the fast development of IT, the communications and postal services went on back foot. He stressed on working out a viable strategy to revive the glory of Post and Telegraph Department.
 Omar said that the proposal of adding banking facilities in the post offices would prove highly beneficial for both the Post and Telegraph Department and the people. He expressed the hope that the RBI would approve the proposal in this regard.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 22 Aug 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 22 Aug 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 23 Aug 2011 00:00:00 IST