Post Office Research Articles

Maintenance and Supply of Post and Telegraph Stations in the Semirechye

The article explores the material supply of post and telegraph stations in the Semirechye region during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The management of postal routes, transport safety, and the construction and equipment of stations were determined by the state, private entrepreneurs, and the local Kazakh population, who were taxed for these services. In addressing these challenges, the Russian Empire drew from European experiences, directly applying the postal station management model from Russia. Postal routes facilitated the transportation of correspondence, cargo, and passengers, thus solving essential communication issues within society. Government officials and soldiers also relied on these stations as key support points. Although the station attendants (overseers) were under the authority of post offices, they independently managed operations and relied on station-generated income. This arrangement was cost-effective for the state, allowing it to minimize expenses on postal institutions. The Russian government consistently worked to improve postal communication, and the system was subject to ongoing changes. However, despite some positive developments, both the Russian Empire and the postal system in Semirechye lagged behind European standards of postal transport.

Infrastructure distribution in cities and the improvement of the well-being of citizens in Japan: evidence from the quantile regression

ABSTRACT Urban construction under the aging society needs to provide efficient services for residents. We investigated the heterogenous relationship between various types of municipality-level critical infrastructure and park construction and the subjective well-being of citizens based on quantile regression using original survey data and the Japanese government statistics bureau of 2015-2017. Positive relationships were found in the low-and middle-level life satisfaction regions owing to the construction of museums or libraries, government branches, government services, health centers, police stations, fire stations, schools, hospitals, post offices, disabled and senior centers, and parks. Moreover, citizens were more likely to feel safe if the living community had comprehensive government-related institutions, including government offices, police stations, fire stations, schools, and post offices, among others. Our results indicated that the number of favorable infrastructures should be increased in areas with low levels of life satisfaction and less-safe communities to improve the citizens’ overall well-being.

Assessment of oral health status amongst postal employees of Bhubaneswar city: A cross-sectional study.

Upholding good dental health has wider effects on productivity and performance at work in addition to being crucial for individual well-being. Because it can affect both their personal well-being and productivity at work, post office workers' oral health is therefore a critical issue of concern. Hence, evaluating Bhubaneswar city post office workers' dental health is the study's aim. With the aid of the WHO 2013 oral health assessment form, a cross-sectional study involving 171 regular post office workers was undertaken. Using the Chi-square test and an ANOVA for pertinent variables, the data were analysed using SPSS statistical software version 27.0. Potential confounding variables were adjusted using multiple logistic regression analysis. The survey included a total of 171 post office personnel, of which 76.6% were men and 23.4% were women. The participants' periodontal health revealed that 67.7% had deep periodontal pockets, 18.7% had shallow ones, and 95.3% had bleeding gums. The mean DMFT of the study participants was 4.10 ± 3.149. Among post office workers, tobacco use and oral health conditions represent a crucial junction of variables that call for caution and preventative action.

Barriers and enablers to bowel cancer screening participation in remote Tasmania: A qualitative study using the theoretical domains framework.

Identify barriers and enablers for remote Tasmanians participating in bowel cancer screening through the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program. A small remote Tasmanian community. Tasmanian remote community members aged 50 years and over. A qualitative study conducted 16 semi-structured interviews. Two researchers conducted in-person and telephone interviews. Questions were directed by an interview guide developed using the Theoretical Domains Framework for behaviour change and Behaviour Change Wheel. Two researchers analysed data using directed content analysis with a flexible inductive approach. Four themes related to barriers and enablers to completing the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program screening kit in remote Tasmania. Themes included the subject of screening, physical screening kit, the process and outcome of the kit. Several barrier and enabler sub-themes overlapped or were linked, as many enablers mitigated barriers. For example, social influences, awareness level, steps in completing screening, and planning and timing to screen. Social support and discussing screening with others were key enablers, whereas lack of these were barriers. For remote communities, taking the kit to the post office was a barrier from often knowing the post officer. A bowel bus providing screening and information support services may reduce the travel burden of follow-up diagnostic tests and support low-literacy individuals to screen. Barriers and enablers exist within each stage of the screening process, from what influences an individual decision to screen, through to the outcome. To improve screening rates in rural/remote Tasmania, barriers and enablers to screening must be considered.

Strengthening State Capacity: Civil Service Reform and Public Sector Performance during the Gilded Age

We use newly digitized records from the post office to study the effects of strengthened state capacity between 1875 and 1901. Exploiting the implementation of the Pendleton Act—a landmark statute that shielded bureaucrats from political interference—across US cities over two waves, we find that civil service reform reduced postal delivery errors and increased productivity. These improvements were most pronounced during election years when the reform dampened bureaucratic turnover. We provide suggestive evidence that reformed cities witnessed declining local partisan newspapers. Separating politics from administration, therefore, not only improved state effectiveness but also weakened the role of local politics. (JEL D24, D73, H83, J45, L82, L87, N41)

An Analytical Study of Contribution Received and Subscriber Registered by Post Offices & Authorized Banks Under Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana

This study examines the contribution received and subscriber registered by post offices and banks under the Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSY). The study aims to identify the main reasons for the decline or rise in subscribers and contributions under the SSY and their impact on the operations of banks and post offices. It also provides insights into the impact of these factors on the performance of the schemes, allowing for intelligent suggestions to improve future performance. The study uses contribution and subscriber registration as a method for evaluating the effectiveness of any scheme. The data is sourced from the National Saving Institute's SSY contributions reports for two fiscal years, 2022-2023 and 2023-2024. The analysis uses statistical forms, bar diagrams, pie charts, and mathematical formulas to analyse the data. The study aims to prevent females from marrying young and improve the performance of the banks and post offices.

West Street Durban 1977 (1)

West Street is the official main road of Durban. Some of the smaller buildings in it are so old-world in appearance that they might well have been part of any average Karoo town, although by contrast there are also imposing structures representing the stark International Style. The Baroque town hall and the Neo-Classical post office have already been declared national monuments, and buildings typical of the innovation at the turn of the century should surely be protected from the demolishers. The Indian complex in Grey Street adds to the street front both further variety and that hint of mystery which the traditions of one population group always have for others.

Ant Colony Optimization for solving Directed Chinese Postman Problem

The Chinese Postman Problem (CPP) is a well-known optimization problem involving determining the shortest route, modeling the system as an undirected graph, for delivering mail, ensuring all roads are traversed while returning to the post office. The Directed Chinese Postman Problem (DCPP) extends the Chinese Postman Problem (CPP), where the underlying graph representing the system incorporates exclusively directed edges. Similarly to CPP, this problem has plenty of applications in route optimization, interactive system analysis, and circuit design problems. However, due to the added constraint (directionality of edges), DCPP results are more challenging to solve. Although methods to solve it in literature are proposed, typically by using minimum-cost-flow algorithms, the meta-heuristics approaches proposed to deal with it are very limited. In this paper, we propose an innovative meta-heuristic approach to solve DCPP by using an ant colony optimization (ACO) algorithm, i.e., an algorithm that simulates in a simplified way the behavior of some species of ants to solve optimization problems. The efficiency of our ant colony optimization for solving the Directed Chinese Postman Problem (ACO-DCPP) is measured by comparing the ACO outcomes with the results obtained by a recursive algorithm that explores all the possible solutions. Results show that ACO-DCPP is stable and gets the global optimum frequently by using an extremely limited number of solutions explored.

A Tale of the 1990s: A Case Study of Nimród Antal’s The Whiskey Bandit as an Allegory of Post-Socialist Nostalgia

The story of Attila Ambrus, also known as the Whiskey Bandit or the Whiskey Robber, is one of the most memorable and widely remembered phenomena from 1990s Hungary. Between 1993 and 1999 Ambrus committed thirty robberies in post offices, banks, travel agencies and other financial institutions. What makes his persona stand out is that despite being a criminal, he not only became a celebrity with widespread media presence, but also a divisive hero: he enjoyed massive popularity as he outmaneuvered police repeatedly. This article reads The Whiskey Bandit (dir. Nimród Antal, 2017), a cinematic adaptation of his criminal career, as an allegory of a specific post-socialist nostalgia in Hungary, a longing for the brief period after the regime change when social, cultural, economic and political transformations re-structured the country’s landscape in an abrupt and even confusing manner, yet offered a moment of hope for endless possibilities and joining the progress of Western modernity. The analysis contextualizes the film’s non-­linear temporal and cacophonic spatial structures as an allegory of 1990s Hungarian experience; furthermore, examines nostalgic overtones in the film as a contemporary reflexive perspective on the euphoric moment of the regime change and following disillusionment of post-regime-change Hungary.

Customer’s Awareness towards Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSY) : Special Reference to Latur District

Every investor is expected to take their investment decisions on awareness and knowledge of the scheme. Lack of information about the scheme cannot attract the investors. To attract the investors the information about the scheme should be spread in the public. Awareness enables to investors to take investment decisions. Investors obtain the information required for investing, evaluating the investment option which are suit their specific goals, ascertains rights and obligations in a particular investment takes necessary precautions and seeks help in case of any grievance. In order to create awareness about the scheme and empower them to be smart investors, awareness is very important. In the present study the primary data was collected from the 112 respondent of MGNREGA female workers through the well structured questionnaire. The secondary data was obtained from the government website. The data was analyzed by using Chi-square test at 5% level of significance. It was found that, there is a significant association between the age, educational qualification and marital status of the respondents. To improve the awareness the respondents’ government should make some efforts to improve these variables in the rural area. It is also found that there is no attraction about the account opening in the commercial banks and post offices.

BHOO-MI – BHOONIDHI META INTELLIGENCE

Presently satellite data products are supplied to the users in various formats and with required meta data associated to it. In general, this Meta data contains the latitude/longitude information of the area covered. The utilization of satellite imagery in diverse fields necessities efficient methods to add value to the core images. In this research work, we designed a comprehensive methodology to design a system which provides the intelligence to the basic data product by adding various geographic features over that area. Both natural and manmade geographic features were considered in study. The features include post offices, monuments, airports, museums, hospitals, educational institutes (NITs & IITs) etc. All these features are extracted and preserved as a centralized repository/database. Leveraging a combination of Python programming, web scraping techniques, and advanced geospatial libraries such as Geopandas and Shapely, our system undertakes a multi-step approach. Initially, the system reads the metadata of the satellite image to obtain corner latitude and longitude coordinates. Then the system identifies and extracts relevant feature data. These feature’s meta information is then compiled into a shapefile, providing a comprehensive overview of the features present within the satellite image. This shapefile serves as a valuable resource for further analysis and decision- making in applications such as environmental monitoring, urban planning, and disaster response. Keywords: GIS, Intelligent Satellite Image, Satellite-Image, Data-Preprocessing in Band Data, Point-Data, Geospatial libraries

Transports and Logistics

KEY MESSAGES The estimated potential of Pakistan’s logistics sector is USD 30.7 billion but it has not been realised as yet. Where is it today? akistan is nowhere in the global scenario according to the recent Logistics Performance Index prepared by the World Bank 2023. The modal shares are highly skewed towards roads accounting for more than 92 percent of passengers and 96 percent of freight. On average this should be 60 percent. he motorways and highways constitute less than 10 percent of the total road network but carry almost the entire freight traffic. he inadequacy and inefficiency of the public transport system in Islamabad bring more private vehicles on the roads. Heavy losses in the railway sector have necessitated an increase in grants from PKR 45 billion in 2022-23 to PKR 55 in 2023-24. Per-passenger grants amount to PKR 1,261 and PKR 5,556 per ton for freight in 2021-22. Pakistan Railways has so far failed to adopt the open access policy approved in 2011, which reflects bureaucratic hurdles and governance failures. PIDE survey reveals that freight forwarders do not use Pakistan Railways because of the non-availability of relevant information, but mainly because of the nonreliability of the services. Pakistan Post has 10,293 post offices in Pakistan, of which 87 percent are incurring losses, while TCS has a market share of 43 percent with less than 10 percent of branches than Pakistan Post. The labour unions in public sector organisations have played a major role in resisting reforms, ensuring inefficiencies and substantial losses to the exchequer.

Pitrufquén, Chile: the city as a strategy for territorial occupation

This paper analyzes the development of Pitrufquén (located in the Araucanía Region, Chile, and founded in 1897) from a historical, territorial, urban, and architectural point of view. It is proposed that the city’s development is framed in a new moment, where the Chilean State abandons military criteria and assumes economic-territorial factors where the railroad’s presence is a determining factor. The choice of the site, its particular layout, and the development of its architecture are evidence of this change. From the historical point of view, it is analyzed how, in Pitrufquén, the Mapuche society had cattle raising as the main economic activity, as it had pastures to feed the cattle, the land was suitable for crops, and there was a vital ford to cross the Toltén River. This strategic location was maintained and accentuated by the city’s founding and the railroad’s arrival in 1898, turning the town into a railhead for progress towards the south of the country. In the case of the urban layout, its peculiarity was addressed since, together with Lonquimay, these are the only sections in the La Araucanía region organized based on an ellipse, which, in the case of Pitrufquén, also coexists with a checkerboard layout. The study analyzed its squares, diagonal avenues, and the perimeter ring road. At an architectural level, the article explores the three layers or aspects of the city: The first one studies the wooden architecture with works from the late 19th and early 20th centuries; the second refers to public architecture, represented by buildings such as the municipality, public services, the post office, and others; and a third layer addresses the modern architecture, such as housing and stores from the period between 1940 and 1960.

Customers’ Awareness towards Post Office Schemes –A Study in Erode City

Post office saving system provides depositors an access to bank, a safe and convenient method to save money and to promote saving. Investment culture refers to the attitude, awareness and institutions in placing their savings in various financial assets. One of the major investments done here is on advertising. To remain competitive in the market it is necessary to understand and to influence the behavior of the investor. Behavior of the investor is influenced by many factors like return, safety, liquidity, convenience etc. The banks provide loans to retailers and wholesalers for their inventory. The study attempted focusing the attitude of investors on post office saving scheme, various schemes provided through post office, level of awareness of investors in post offices schemes.

An Empirical Analysis of Tribal Investors’ Behaviour - A Study of Selected States in North East India

This study tries to understand the behaviour and perception of the tribal investors in the North Eastern India. This study tried to find out using several non- parametric test and factor analysis what are the investment avenues the population in the study responded to and the behaviour. From the study we understood the behaviour of the tribal investors of north east part of India in respect of selected states. The results of the Mann Whitney test in respect show that investment in respect of the Gold, Real Estate and Post office saving are significant across gender in the study. This indicates that these are more important in terms of investment in respect of decision of investment. In terms of significance for self-decision real estate, banking and post office saving are the clear winners and this is quite obvious given the demographic spread of age group and income level and the sector of employment. Earlier studies have shown that government employees at the higher age group are generally risk averse and tend to invest in stable low return assets. Post office savings show as the only significant investment avenue in term of annual income of the tribal investors.

PREFERENCE OF INVESTORS TOWARDS POST OFFICE SAVING SCHEMES

Background/Purpose:Post office saving schemes are backed by the government of the respective country, providing a high level of safety and security for investors funds.Some post office saving schemes may offer tax benefits, such as exemptions on the interest earned or deductions under specific sections of the tax code. Post office saving schemes, such as fixed deposits or recurring deposits, can be suitable for individuals with long-term savings goals, such as planning for education, marriage, or retirement.It is essential for investors to carefully evaluate their financial objectives and consider factors like inflation, liquidity needs, and overall portfolio diversification before choosing post office saving schemes as their primary investment avenue. Objective: To analyze the preference of investors towards different post office saving schemes. Design/Methodology/Approach: Primary data is collected through a structured questionnaire. The area of research is confined to Durg district only. Descriptive analysis has been done to analyze the research questions. Originality/Value: This paper outlines the perception of an individual towards the different saving schemes provided by the Post office. Findings/Results:An investment is a pledge of a persons current assets that allows him to receive future income through interest, dividends, rent, wages, pension benefits, or capital appreciation.

Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana: A Closer Look

Savings are paramount in personal finance and economic stability serving as a cornerstone for financial security, goal achievement, and long-term prosperity. By cultivating a habit of saving, individuals can establish a safety net to navigate through emergencies, pursue aspirations such as home ownership or entrepreneurship, and secure a comfortable retirement. Moreover, savings enable individuals to reduce debt burdens, capitalize on investment opportunities, and counteract the erosive effects of inflation, thereby fostering financial independence and resilience. Additionally, accumulating savings empowers individuals to leave a legacy of generational wealth, ensuring the financial well-being of future generations. In essence, savings not only provide a buffer against unforeseen circumstances but also pave the way for realizing dreams, seizing opportunities, and building a brighter future. To promote the savings among the people, the government through banks and post offices offers various savings schemes including fixed deposits, recurring deposits, savings accounts, and government-backed schemes like Public Provident Fund (PPF), National Savings Certificate (NSC), and Kisan Vikas Patra (KVP). The Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSY) stands out among various savings schemes due to its focus on securing the financial future of the girl child in India. The scheme allows parents or guardians to open an account for their girl child below the age of 10, offering a competitive interest rate and tax benefits. Contributions to the account can be made until the child reaches the age of 15, with partial withdrawals allowed for specific purposes such as education and marriage expenses. By keeping all these in mind, this research paper is an attempt to discuss about the features, benefits, eligibility and trend and growth of SSY in terms of Account opening and amount deposited. The trend and growth of SSY has been analysed for a period of 9 years from 2014-15 to 2022-23 by using Compound growth rate technique. The result revealed that there is a positive trend in SSY in terms of number of accounts opened and amount invested.

Payment banks — A new milestone for banking penetration in India

The purpose of the banking sector in the country is to provide banking services to all the people with a simple and easy manner with this view, PMJDY was introduced in 2014 to provide bank account to unbanked people free of cost and with simplification of KYC norms. All the incentives and monetary benefits to the targeted people will reach only through direct benefit transfer scheme which is linked with bank account and Aadhar. Banks also concentrate on urban and unbanked areas through single window banking and post office savings bank scheme. With this view, payment banks play a key role in banking penetration in the country. This paper made an attempt to discuss performance of payment banks with respect to financial performance.

Your Brain’s “Save” Button: The Amygdala

Do you ever wonder why you remember some experiences better than others? Why do you remember that funny joke your friend told at lunch a few months ago or the scary snake you saw in your backyard, but not that time you went to the post office with your parents? Just like a computer has a save button, our brains do, too! When something scary, exciting, or strange happens, a small part of the brain, the amygdala, helps us click “save” on that event so we can remember it later. Decades of research have helped scientists understand what parts of the brain are important for memory and how the amygdala works with other brain regions to tag experiences as worth remembering. This research is important for understanding how memories are formed and can help us create new therapies for people with memory problems, who have trouble forming new memories and remembering past experiences.

LITERATURE REVIEW ON DETERMINANTS OF INVESTMENT CHOICE IN INDIAN POST OFFICE SCHEMES

There are multiple investment options around us. We must select the best investment choice to achieve our overall objectives. The Indian Post offers numerous savings schemes with high returns and safety. Post office schemes have long been famous for individuals seeking secure and hassle-free investment options. Understanding the factors that drive investors choices within these schemes is crucial for policymakers and financial institutions. One of the prominent factors explored in this review is demographic characteristics. Age, generation, and gender have emerged as significant determinants of investment preferences. Older investors, particularly senior citizens, find postal schemes appealing because of their simplicity and perceived safety. Moreover, female investors exhibited a strong inclination toward these schemes. Financial security and tax benefits play a pivotal role in shaping investment decisions. Investors are drawn to post office schemes because of the guaranteed returns offered by the government and the tax incentives associated with these investments. The review also highlights the impact of educational qualifications on investment choices, shedding light on how individuals with different educational backgrounds perceive these schemes.