Lok Sabha Question No. 1747 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-21
Subject: Digital Parcel Locker Service
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Kuldeep Rai Sharma, DNV Senthilkumar. S., Subhash Ramrao Bhamre, Amol Ramsing Kolhe, Supriya Sadanand Sule, Manickam Tagore B

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF POSTS

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1747 TO BE ANSWERED ON 21 ST  SEPTEMBER, 2020

## DIGITAL PARCEL LOCKER SERVICE

## 1747.   SHRI KULDEEP RAI SHARMA:

DR. DNV SENTHILKUMAR S.:

DR. SUBHASH RAMRAO BHAMRE:

DR. AMOL RAMSING KOLHE:

SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SULE:

SHRI MANICKAM TAGORE B.:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has recently launched free digital parcel locker service in a number of post offices in the country and if so, the details thereof along with the idea behind setting up of the said parcel locker services;
- (b) whether the Government has faced any challenges in the implementation of the said initiative and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government proposes free digital parcel locker service for making delivery when making purchase from private e-commerce portal and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether India Post is the most preferred courier agent for e-commerce platform in the eastern part of the country and if so the details thereof; and
- (e) the  decline  in  revenue  collection  by  the  India  Post  due  to  COVID-19  pandemic  and  the corrective steps taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS, EDUCATION AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI SANJAY DHOTRE)

- (a) The  Department  has  undertaken  pilot  testing  of  Parcel  Delivery  Lockers  in  two  Post  Offices  i.e. Nabadiganta IT S.O. & New Town Action Area S.O. in   Kolkata (West Bengal Circle) and one Apartment in Bengaluru (Karnataka Circle) to make delivery accessible 24X7. The service is in pilot phase. The delivery lockers  have  been  setup  with the idea of  flexible  delivery  timings  with  round  the  clock  delivery  as  per  the convenience  of  the  customer,  overcoming  challenges  in  effecting  door  delivery  in  high  rise  apartments, security of parcels and contactless delivery keeping in view principles of social distancing.

- (b) The initiative is in pilot phase and all aspects would be examined on the completion of the proof of concept.
- (c) As it is in pilot stage, no decision has been taken.
- (d) Yes, India post is one of the preferred courier in eastern part of the country.
- (e) During COVID-19 pandemic India Post has shown decline in revenue as detailed below:

( In Crores )

| Description     |   April 2020 to Aug 2020 |   April 2019 to Aug 2019 |
|-----------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|
| Postal Receipts |                  4415.57 |                  5294.75 |

The corrective steps taken by the Government in this regard are:

- I. Department of Posts created a Road Transport Network for supply of essential items & movement of mails & parcel across the country from 24.04.2020.
- II. Door delivery of saving bank services and AEPS was promoted.
- III. Registered  newspaper&  publications  have  been  given  special  concession  to  post  them  relaxing  the normal requirements.
- IV. Digital banking has been promoted.
- V. Postal Life Insurance & Rural Life Insurance policy holders were encouraged to pay their premium online.

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