The 1.55 lakh post offices across the country are being modernised and will soon become multipurpose outlets providing facilities like banking and insurance, the government has said.

"We are applying to the Reserve Bank of India for a license to start banking facilities at all the post offices across the country," Union Minister of state for Communications and Information Technology Sachin Pilot told reporters here.

Pilot, who launched several new initiatives of his ministry on Saturday, said all the post offices will also provide other facilities like insurance.

"These facilities at the post office will largely benefit rural population of the country which does not have easy access to them compared to urban residents," he said. The Minister said all the post offices across the country will be computerised and connected through a network.

On the performance of BSNL in Jammu and Kashmir, he said the telecom service provider has added 1.67 lakh mobile subscribers in the last four months and expects to add another 1.50 lakh customers by the end of current fiscal.

On the lack of telephone facilities in border areas and near the Line of Control (LoC), Pilot said the policy of the BSNL was to provide mobile phones where landlines cannot be installed and digital satellite phone terminals (DSPT) where mobile towers cannot be erected.

"More than 300 DSPTs have been installed in Kashmir and Ladakh region during the year. Most of these DSPTs function as village telephones," the Minister said.

He said the communication network along the LoC and international border is being strengthened to prevent the transmission of mobile signals from other countries to this side.

On the ban of SMS on pre-paid mobile connections in the state, Pilot said a solution to this issue has to be worked out by Ministry of Home Affairs and security agencies.