North East-II postmaster general Som Kamei said the department of Posts would be very soon be opening 70 new branch offices all over Nagaland including in Wokha district. Kamei was speaking as the chief guest of ‘WokhaPlex-2023’, the first-ever district level philatelic exhibition organized in Wokha district by the department of Posts, Nagaland Division consisting of philatelic exhibition, stamp design contest, and letter writing competition here at Don Bosco Higher Secondary School (DBHSS) Wokha Friday.
Elaborating further, Kamei said these 70 new branch offices would not only provide postal services like facilitating exchange of letters and parcels, but that they would also provide financial services like opening of savings accounts, insurances, and other such facilities in villages where accessibility to banking facilities and services were limited and scarce.
On ‘Dak Ghar Niryat Kendra (DNK)’ or Export Facilitation Centres, Kamei said five such facilities were already available in Nagaland including in Dimapur, Kohima, Mokokchung, Jalukie, and Phek. Informing that DNKs would facilitate small and medium business exporters by way of directly onboarding their products through the online system from the comfort of their homes to any destination in the world without going through the usual cumbersome process at customs, Kamei announced that such a facility would be opened in Wokha too within the next two months or so.
On ‘Dak Community Development Programme (DCDP)’ which is a new initiative by the department of Posts with an aim to bring government to the doorsteps of the common people by way of linking their accounts from different banking institutions with the postal facilities once a customer opens his/her account with an Aadhaar, Kamei said this programme would be soon initiated all over the districts of Nagaland.
Kamei also explained in details about philately, the term “philately” was coined in 1864 by a Frenchman named Georges Herpin. He also informed that India also happened to be one of the first countries to issue a postage stamp which was designed and printed at Calcutta in 1854 without any perforations or gum by the then British India government with a picture of a very young and youthful Queen Victoria on it with values of half anna, one anna, two annas, and four annas.
Encouraging the participants to invest in stamps for a better return in the future, Kamei informed that the most expensive stamp in the world till date was the ‘1c Magenta’ issued by British Guiana which was sold at the staggering price of more than 9 million dollars or a few hundred crores in Indian rupees. Kamei also inaugurated the exhibition hall where philatelic collections of private collectors from all over Nagaland as well as that of students from different schools in Wokha district were on display.
SDO (C) Wokha Nuhuto Tunyi, who was the guest of honour, said philately or the art of stamp collecting was a hobby that encapsulated the various aspects of life whether be it arts, history, culture, or sports. He also emphasized that philately was not only about collecting stamps but that it was also about preserving and sharing stories across worlds and generations.
Tunyi also distributed the Philatelic Club certificates to six new school clubs including DBHSS Wokha, DEF Wokha Regimental School, Isaiah Ability School Wokha, Fernmbrook School Wokha, Little Angels School Wokha, and Government Higher Secondary School (GHSS) Wokha.
Kohima Head Post Office postal assistant Kevikhrielie Kirha informed Nagaland Post that students from any school may open a Philatelic Club by depositing Rs.250/- in the Philatelic Deposit Account and that such clubs would have the privilege of being informed every time new postage stamps, etc., are brought out by the department. Another department official informed that Philatelic Club students from classes 6-9 could also opt for Deen Dayal SPARSH Yojana which is a scholarship for promotion for aptitude and research in stamps as a hobby with an incentive worth Rs.6000/- per annum for selected student.
Earlier, Nagaland Postal Division superintendent of posts L Tiken Singh delivered welcome address; DBHSS Wokha students presented a special number; and Tchunnungrotchu Cultural Group, Wokha presented a cultural item at the inaugural function hosted by Kevikhrielie Kirha.
Wokhapex-2023 was attended by Postal department officials, various organizations within Wokha district, school representatives and students from various schools within Wokha town. The results of the stamp design contest and letter writing competition are to be declared on September 2 during the closing function to be graced by DBHSS Wokha rector Fr. CT Varghese as guest of honour.