The West Bengal circle of India Post is looking for top slot in India in the foreign currency dealing through Western Union Money Transfer. The circle is ranked sixth in India at present.
The dream for top slot has been fuelled by the performance of a small town in Nadia district of the state.
The sub-post office of Bogula, a small border town, is now topping the all India chart of Western Union monthly transaction.
The town currently accounts for more than 25 per cent of the total transaction recorded in West Bengal postal circle.
The chief postmaster general of WB circle, P K Chatterji, said the West Bengal circle was currently recording 1,600 transactions every month.
"In this calendar year, already more than 10,000 transactions have been recorded in West Bengal and Bogula post office in Nadia south division is topping the country. The circle as a whole has grown by over 200 per cent in last nine months," he said.
According to Chatterji, Bogula accounts for around 400 transactions every month. The combined value of the transaction in WB circle in the first six months of this fiscal was around Rs 20 crore (Rs 200 million).
"The money is coming from all over the world. Apart from Persian Gulf countries, it is coming from West Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand," added CPMG.
He informed that the West Bengal circle was now planning to expand the Western Union Money Transfer facilities in 50 new locations in next 3-4 months.
"On the request of NRI community, the department is open to extend the the service to other locations," Chatterji added.
The facility is now available in 262 post offices in the state. The figure is around 4,500 in India.
India Post is now the number one associate of Western Union in South Asia.
Incidentally, Western Union MT service enables remittances of money by NRIs from around the world to India.
However, there is an upper limit of $2,500 per transactions by the RBI and maximum 12 transactions per calendar year can be made by a person.
