New Delhi: More than 300 postal department employees were punished for non-delivery of money orders in 2013-14, Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday.

Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the postal department had received 80,000 complaints out of a total of 10.9 crore money orders worth Rs 12,241 crore sent in 2013-14 through the post offices in the country.

"It is just 0.07 percent of the total 10.09 crore money orders handled by the Postal Department in 2013-14. We have taken action against 300 postal department employees after finding them guilty," he said during Question Hour.

Prasad said enquiries were conducted to ascertain the actual reason for non-payment or late payment of money orders. The cause of delay for payment of money order could be due to several reasons like absence of payee, non-availability of payee at the time of delivery, death of payee, wrong or incomplete address or incorrect PIN code.

"If any official is found at fault in late payment or non-payment of money orders, suitable administrative or disciplinary action is taken depending on gravity of lapses noticed," he said.

The Minister said in case of non-payment of money orders due to service fault, duplicate money orders are issued. The Postal Department has introduced electronic transmission of money orders for speedy transmission to the office of delivery, besides taking other action.

Prasad said government has introduced instant money order service on January 20, 2006, which is now available in 16,785 post offices across the country. The service is instant, convenient, reliable and affordable.

The maximum limit of remitting money is Rs 50,000 whereas for the ordinary money order, it is Rs 5,000 only. The tariff charge for this service is also very low as compared to the ordinary money order, he said.