Context: Recently, the Department of Posts has launched a scheme called Five Star Villages, to ensure universal coverage of flagship postal schemes in rural areas of the country. 
About the Scheme

• The scheme seeks to bridge the gaps in public awareness and reach of postal products and services, especially in interior villages.
• All postal products and services will be made available and marketed and publicized at the village level, under the scheme.
• Branch offices will function as a one-stop-shop to cater to all post office-related needs of villagers.

The schemes covered under the Five Star scheme include

• Savings Bank Accounts, Recurrent Deposit Accounts, NSC/KVP certificates
• Sukanya Samridhi Accounts/PPF Accounts
• Funded Post Office Savings Account linked India Post Payments Bank Accounts
• Postal Life Insurance Policy/Rural Postal Life Insurance Policy
• Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana Account/Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana Account.
• If a village attains universal coverage for the four schemes from the above list, then that village gets a four-star status; if a village completes three schemes, then that village gets a three-star status and so on.

How will the scheme be implemented?

• The scheme will be implemented by a team of five Gramin Dak Sevaks who will be assigned a village for the marketing of all products, savings and insurance schemes of the Department of Posts.
• This team will be headed by the Branch Post Master of the concerned Branch Office.
• The mail overseer will keep personal watch on the progress of the team on a daily basis.
• The teams will be led and monitored by the concerned Divisional Head, Assistant Superintendents Posts and Inspector Posts.
• The team of Gramin Dak Sevaks will conduct a door-to-door awareness campaign on all schemes, covering all eligible villagers.
• Wide publicity will be given by displaying the information on notice boards of Branch Offices.
• Prominent places of targeted villages like Panchayat Offices, schools, village dispensaries, bus depots, markets will also be used for advertising and pamphlets will be distributed.
• Small melas will be organized, considering COVID-19 safety guidelines.

Significance of the Scheme

• India Post has been serving the people in an extraordinary way in the difficult situation which has emerged due to Covid-19, by bringing them medicines and financial assistance.
• The Postal Department has been playing a major role in the implementation of Government schemes, leveraging the immense strength of its vast network.
• Postal schemes are known for providing highly secured deposits, they provide higher return of interest with low risk.
• The way to realize the goal of Aatmanirbhar Bharat is through collaborative efforts such as this, wherein various schemes have been brought together under one umbrella, with the goal of providing financial inclusion.