Governance
In News: It was on August 15, 1972, that the Postal Index Number (PIN) was introduced in India.
- The 75th Independence Day coincides with another milestone in the country’s history — it was on August 15, 1972, that the Postal Index Number (PIN) was introduced in India.
Why was the PIN code introduced?
- According to the Department of Posts, there were 23,344 post offices, primarily in urban areas, in India at the time of Independence. But, the country was growing rapidly and the postal network had to keep pace.
- The PIN code was meant to ease the process of mail sorting and delivery in a country where different places, often, have the same or similar names, and letters are written in a wide variety of languages.
How does the PIN code work?
- The PIN is made up of six digits.
- The first number indicates the postal region — Northern, Eastern, Western, Southern; and number 9, which signifies the Army Postal Service.
- The second number denotes a sub-region, and the third represents the sorting district.
- The remaining numbers narrow the geography further to the specific post office making the delivery.
Who was the person behind the initiative?
- The person behind the initiative was Shriram Bhikaji Velankar, additional secretary in the Union Ministry of Communications and a senior member of the Posts and Telegraphs Board.
Source: Indian Express
