The Indian postal department may also set up automated teller machines (ATMs) in the rural parts of the country. The government is planning to allow ATMs for postal department in order to give volume to the role of Indian post in achieving financial inclusion.

The postal department is working on advancements in payment structure for schemes like NREGA wherein ATMs will be set up in specific locations thereby giving people access to net banking facilities.

"Central, state and local governments are increasingly preferring government benefit payments to be routed through banks rather than using postal services. We need to innovate so as to continue to play dominant role in financial inclusion," a senior official with ministry of communications and information technology informed.

With ATM service getting associated with post office accounts, they will come at par with accounts held by customers with other financial institutions.

Features like life insurance have already been added to the agenda of services offered by postal department. "We are working towards convergence of the reach of Postal Offices with the government's financial inclusion agenda," said the official.