This follows implementation of metro area network in November last year which facilitates payment of insurance premium at any branch office across the city. IVRS was inaugurated by veteran freedom fighter, Usha Mehta at a function organised at LIC headquarters here to conclude celebration of India's 50 years of independence.

LIC Chairman G Krishnamurthy said policy details can be known through IVRS in Marathi, Hindi or English as per policyholder's choice. Krishnamurthy informed that LIC has automated front-end operations to provide on-line services to its customers in over 1,660 branches (nearly 81 per cent of the branch network) so far.

Finance secretary
NEW DELHI: Vijay Kelkar today assumed charge as the new finance secretary. Kelkar, till recently chairman of the Tariff Commission, takes over from Montek Singh Ahluwalia, who has already shifted to Planning Commission as a member. Kelkar is the second non-IAS officer to become the finance secretary after Ahluwalia.

He was earlier, petroleum secretary, where he played an important role in ushering in the reform process by laying a time table for dismantling administered price mechanism (APM) for petroleum products.

Kelkar was also India's representative for GATT at Geneva. With Kelkar assuming office, the finance ministry has new faces in all the major departments. Revenue secretary Javed Choudhury took office early this week, while expenditure secretary EAS Sarma joined a month back.