Lok Sabha Question No. 2542 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-08-05
Subject: Losses on Post Card and Inland Letters
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: RAM CHARITRA

**GOVERNMENT OF INDIA**

**MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY**

**DEPARTMENT OF POSTS**

**LOK SABHA**

**UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2542**

**TO BE ANSWERED ON 05** **TH** **AUGUST, 2015**

**Losses on Post Card and Inland Letters**

**2542. SHRI RAM CHARITRA NISHAD:**

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state:

(a) 	whether losses are being incurred on every post card and inland letter that is sent out;

(b)	 if so, the details thereof;

(c)	 the details of postal article handled by the postal department every month;

(d)	 the growth of ordinary letter, speed post and express parcel during the last three years; and

(e) 	the action taken by the Government for efficient delivery of the postal article to compete with private companies?

ANSWER

**THE MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY**

**(SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)**

(a)	Yes, losses are being incurred on every Post Card and Inland Letter.

(b)	  As per the cost allocated for the year 2013-2014 loss on Post Card and Inland

Letter is as under:

| Item          |   Loss per Unit  (in Rs.) |
|---------------|---------------------------|
| Post Card     |                      7.03 |
| Inland Letter |                      4.93 |

(c)	There are two category of Postal articles handled by Postal Department:

1. Accountable Articles: Monthly data of accountable articles is **Annexed at ‘A’.**

1. Un-Accountable Articles: Information on monthly basis is not maintained. However, Annual traffic of unaccountable articles based on two half yearly enumeration is  A nnexed at ‘B’.

(d)	Growth of traffic of  Ordinary Letter, Inland Letter, Speed Post and Express Parcel

during the last  3 years

Figures (in crore **)**

| **Year (s)**        |   **2011-12** |   **% increase/ decrease** |   **2012-13** |   **% increase/ decrease** |   **2013-14** |   **% increase/ decrease** |
|---------------------|---------------|----------------------------|---------------|----------------------------|---------------|----------------------------|
| Inland Letter       |         91.25 |                       -3.3 |         86.49 |                       -5.2 |         87.45 |                        1.1 |
| Letter              |        208.07 |                       -6.3 |        202.35 |                       -2.7 |        208.72 |                        3.1 |
| Speed Post          |         44.99 |                       14.8 |         36.99 |                      -17.8 |         39.87 |                        7.8 |
| Express Parcel Post |          0.98 |                       -2.0 |          0.96 |                       -2.0 |          1.36 |                       41.7 |

(e)	The Department has taken various initiatives to improve the transmission and delivery of postal articles across the country.

1. As a part of Mail Network Optimization Project (MNOP), the operational network for mail delivery has been restructured and the processes have been redesigned to ensure faster transmission of mail. An online monitoring system has also been developed for more effective monitoring of Speed Post and Registered Post. Online track and trace facility has been made available for Speed Post & Registered Mail.
2. The Department has set up Automated Mail Processing Centres (AMPCs) at Delhi and Kolkata to expedite mail sorting activity.
3. Delivery system at post offices has been restructured and rationalized so that letters are delivered on the very day of their receipt. In some cities, postmen have been provided with two-wheelers to facilitate speedy delivery.
4. The mail vehicles being used in the North–East region have been equipped with Global Positioning System (GPS) technology for better monitoring of mail carriage and delivery.
5. Sustained monitoring of mail processing and routing systems and delivery work is undertaken. Test letters are posted at various levels to supervise and monitor timely delivery of mail. An online performance monitoring system for delivery post offices for Speed Post and Registered Post have also been developed for this purpose.

**Annexure A**

|                                                                   |              |              |              |              |              |               |              |              |              |              |              |              |               |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|---------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|---------------|
| **Article**                                                       | **April**    | **May**      | **June**     | **July**     | **August**   | **September** | **October**  | **November** | **December** | **January**  | **February** | **March**    | **Total**     |
|                                                                   |              |              |              |              |              |               |              |              |              |              |              |              |               |
| **(A) Other than P & T Services**                             |              |              |              |              |              |               |              |              |              |              |              |              |               |
| **i.  Insured Letter**                                            |              |              |              |              |              |               |              |              |              |              |              |              |               |
| Urban                                                             | 31162        | 32486        | 29258        | 32763        | 30606        | 30843         | 30655        | 30099        | 30394        | 30262        | 23345        | 31523        | 363396        |
| Rural                                                             | 14446        | 13530        | 13687        | 15248        | 14012        | 13406         | 14389        | 13938        | 19249        | 19485        | 14140        | 14512        | 180042        |
| **ii. Insured Parcel**  **ANNEZURE  ‘A’**                         |              |              |              |              |              |               |              |              |              |              |              |              |               |
| Urban                                                             | 60643        | 50244        | 51804        | 49365        | 43037        | 39814         | 44536        | 43085        | 49813        | 50715        | 40951        | 57543        | 581550        |
| Rural                                                             | 27010        | 21070        | 19544        | 18823        | 16986        | 15752         | 18274        | 19244        | 19580        | 19048        | 15079        | 22341        | 232751        |
| **iii. V. P. Letter**                                             |              |              |              |              |              |               |              |              |              |              |              |              |               |
| Urban                                                             | 339913       | 370567       | 347201       | 360097       | 308479       | 350598        | 393950       | 419133       | 363601       | 294019       | 268799       | 303601       | 4119958       |
| Rural                                                             | 80133        | 44744        | 39279        | 46650        | 66920        | 68137         | 74489        | 72930        | 74949        | 40467        | 34789        | 48072        | 691559        |
| **iv. V. P. Parcel**                                              |              |              |              |              |              |               |              |              |              |              |              |              |               |
| Urban                                                             | 135112       | 127745       | 118667       | 138627       | 140466       | 138841        | 136848       | 147527       | 111430       | 236832       | 209129       | 261686       | 1902910       |
| Rural                                                             | 25947        | 25580        | 23267        | 25790        | 26309        | 25394         | 18920        | 20980        | 20590        | 49418        | 40328        | 29845        | 332368        |
| **v.  Registered Letter**                                         |              |              |              |              |              |               |              |              |              |              |              |              |               |
| Urban                                                             | 9672748      | 9634295      | 10062893     | 11097551     | 9927420      | 9854886       | 9061937      | 10266994     | 10223520     | 11020965     | 10277104     | 9917505      | 121017818     |
| Rural                                                             | 2673713      | 2672800      | 2790857      | 2937798      | 3015132      | 2783200       | 2700578      | 2643808      | 2866134      | 2989611      | 3676463      | 3059408      | 34809502      |
| **vi. Registered Parcel**                                         |              |              |              |              |              |               |              |              |              |              |              |              |               |
| Urban                                                             | 528361       | 509666       | 507210       | 533257       | 492497       | 527165        | 568115       | 543186       | 527989       | 548406       | 514807       | 617241       | 6417900       |
| Rural                                                             | 157638       | 160817       | 162905       | 158211       | 154757       | 167215        | 169537       | 159583       | 212662       | 218021       | 207324       | 210245       | 2138915       |
| **vii. Regd. Book Pattern & Sample Packet**                   |              |              |              |              |              |               |              |              |              |              |              |              |               |
| Urban                                                             | 65434        | 60637        | 64178        | 61789        | 56070        | 53930         | 57357        | 50289        | 54708        | 53527        | 45934        | 56520        | 680373        |
| Rural                                                             | 17697        | 20826        | 18418        | 17077        | 17075        | 14610         | 17043        | 16684        | 17803        | 17183        | 14006        | 17436        | 205858        |
| **viii. Regd. Packet containing Printed Books**                   |              |              |              |              |              |               |              |              |              |              |              |              |               |
| Urban                                                             | 95295        | 153829       | 105023       | 99487        | 80257        | 86512         | 92291        | 91998        | 83780        | 117910       | 112859       | 113449       | 1232690       |
| Rural                                                             | 39481        | 34728        | 42405        | 35165        | 36954        | 37854         | 35536        | 35840        | 32922        | 50023        | 19076        | 37379        | 437363        |
| **ix.  Regd. Packets containing Periodical**                      |              |              |              |              |              |               |              |              |              |              |              |              |               |
| Urban                                                             | 109464       | 128110       | 132377       | 143981       | 162033       | 161256        | 162662       | 160855       | 168045       | 171936       | 73625        | 170786       | 1745130       |
| Rural                                                             | 28830        | 34157        | 31446        | 31779        | 42209        | 36498         | 31971        | 36288        | 37541        | 44192        | 25176        | 33865        | 413952        |
| **x.   V.P. Packet containing Book Pattern & Sample Packets** |              |              |              |              |              |               |              |              |              |              |              |              |               |
| Urban                                                             | 23750        | 24200        | 21587        | 20194        | 20129        | 19769         | 22008        | 20947        | 21268        | 21518        | 22315        | 23083        | 260768        |
| Rural                                                             | 8875         | 9741         | 10109        | 9323         | 9407         | 9158          | 9102         | 9266         | 9411         | 9535         | 7014         | 8836         | 109777        |
| **xi.  V.P. Packet containing Printed Books**                     |              |              |              |              |              |               |              |              |              |              |              |              |               |
| Urban                                                             | 55381        | 160707       | 114629       | 127193       | 102080       | 92792         | 107333       | 82645        | 94851        | 170154       | 42871        | 100215       | 1250851       |
| Rural                                                             | 31401        | 108113       | 31103        | 29505        | 30627        | 30452         | 29701        | 26836        | 30235        | 91493        | 9553         | 29008        | 478027        |
| **xii.  V.P. Packet containing Periodicals**                      |              |              |              |              |              |               |              |              |              |              |              |              |               |
| Urban                                                             | 20574        | 22506        | 27027        | 25118        | 27067        | 26171         | 27062        | 27975        | 26764        | 26603        | 17531        | 24424        | 298822        |
| Rural                                                             | 13814        | 18006        | 14340        | 12808        | 16076        | 15679         | 14067        | 12255        | 14099        | 13640        | 5795         | 22043        | 172622        |
| **Total (A)**                                                     | **14256822** | **14439104** | **14779214** | **16027599** | **14836605** | **14599932**  | **13838361** | **14952385** | **15111338** | **16304963** | **15718013** | **15210566** | **180074902** |
| **(B) P & T Service**                                         |              |              |              |              |              |               |              |              |              |              |              |              |               |
| **i.  Insured Letter**                                            |              |              |              |              |              |               |              |              |              |              |              |              |               |
| Urban                                                             | 13031        | 15225        | 14632        | 16506        | 16313        | 16116         | 15659        | 15631        | 17785        | 18839        | 15402        | 16001        | 191140        |
| Rural                                                             | 3148         | 2983         | 3110         | 4264         | 4474         | 3255          | 3425         | 3472         | 3165         | 3882         | 2679         | 4282         | 42139         |
| **ii. Insured Parcel**                                            |              |              |              |              |              |               |              |              |              |              |              |              |               |
| Urban                                                             | 5355         | 5984         | 5305         | 5424         | 5310         | 5931          | 6453         | 5833         | 6669         | 8108         | 6367         | 8619         | 75358         |
| Rural                                                             | 2278         | 2125         | 2162         | 2508         | 2748         | 2988          | 3598         | 3056         | 3714         | 4800         | 3186         | 4492         | 37655         |
| **iii. Registered Letter**                                        |              |              |              |              |              |               |              |              |              |              |              |              |               |
| Urban                                                             | 1168967      | 1210960      | 1120641      | 1173460      | 1090142      | 1037154       | 1015812      | 972002       | 1127549      | 1194298      | 1084849      | 1175382      | 13371216      |
| Rural                                                             | 512788       | 510238       | 543722       | 510329       | 455320       | 462772        | 450343       | 409587       | 501813       | 497772       | 458950       | 503651       | 5817285       |
| **iv. Registered Parcel**                                         |              |              |              |              |              |               |              |              |              |              |              |              |               |
| Urban                                                             | 71191        | 67649        | 65655        | 68324        | 66931        | 67127         | 71526        | 63964        | 63266        | 69240        | 61455        | 73321        | 809649        |
| Rural                                                             | 34906        | 33552        | 32929        | 35633        | 32693        | 35901         | 36085        | 25395        | 28468        | 27364        | 26734        | 34349        | 384009        |
| **v.  Registered Book Pattern & Sample Packet**               |              |              |              |              |              |               |              |              |              |              |              |              |               |
| Urban                                                             | 440          | 133          | 181          | 550          | 287          | 150           | 116          | 74           | 35           | 64           | 5            | 21           | 2056          |
| Rural                                                             | 97           | 15           | 41           | 216          | 324          | 11            | 3            | 7            | 4            | 7            | 73           | 58           | 856           |
| **vi. Registered Packet containing Printed Books**                |              |              |              |              |              |               |              |              |              |              |              |              |               |
| Urban                                                             | 101          | 44           | 42           | 818          | 837          | 33            | 399          | 3            | 8            | 11           | 7            | 18           | 2321          |
| Rural                                                             | 0            | 742          | 61           | 72           | 80           | 45            | 86           | 18           | 17           | 32           | 32           | 0            | 1185          |
| **Regd. Packets containing Periodical**                           |              |              |              |              |              |               |              |              |              |              |              |              |               |
| Urban                                                             | 8            | 6            | 35           | 851          | 432          | 40            | 195          | 32           | 0            | 0            | 10           | 0            | 1609          |
| Rural                                                             | 102          | 3            | 74           | 72           | 101          | 19            | 106          | 26           | 0            | 0            | 0            | 0            | 503           |
| **Total (B)**                                                     | **1812412**  | **1849659**  | **1788590**  | **1819027**  | **1675992**  | **1631542**   | **1603806**  | **1499100**  | **1752493**  | **1824417**  | **1659749**  | **1820194**  | **20736981**  |
| **Total (A)+(B)**                                                 | **16069234** | **16288763** | **16567804** | **17846626** | **16512597** | **16231474**  | **15442167** | **16451485** | **16863831** | **18129380** | **17377762** | **17030760** | **200811883** |

**TRAFFIC OF ACCOUNTABLE ARTICLES      2013-14**

**Annexure - B**

**TRAFFIC OF UN-ACCOUNTABLE ARTICLES   2013-14**

|                                                                          |                                                                          |             |        |    |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------|--------|----|
|                                                                          |                                                                          |             |        |    |
| **Article**                                                              |                                                                          | **2013-14** |        |    |
|                                                                          |                                                                          |             |        |    |
|                                                                          |                                                                          |             |        |    |
| **(A) Other than P & T Services**                                    |                                                                          |             |        |    |
| Letter                                                                   | Letter                                                                   | 203.78      | 203.78 |    |
| Postcard                                                                 | Postcard                                                                 | 54.19       | 54.19  |    |
| Printed Postcard                                                         | Printed Postcard                                                         | 22.88       | 22.88  |    |
| Meghdoot Postcard                                                        | Meghdoot Postcard                                                        | 5.54        | 5.54   |    |
| Competition Postcard                                                     | Competition Postcard                                                     | 1.42        | 1.42   |    |
| Letter Card                                                              | Letter Card                                                              | 87.45       | 87.45  |    |
| Registered Newspaper (Single+Bundle)                                     | Registered Newspaper (Single+Bundle)                                     | 49.01       | 49.01  |    |
| Unregistered Packet (Printed Book+ Periodical +Book Pattren  & S. Pack.) | Unregistered Packet (Printed Book+ Periodical +Book Pattren  & S. Pack.) | 84.33       | 84.33  |    |
| Unregistered Parcel                                                      | Unregistered Parcel                                                      | 6.76        | 6.76   |    |
| Acknowledgement                                                          | Acknowledgement                                                          | 29.30       | 29.30  |    |
| **Total (A)**  **544.66**                                                |                                                                          |             |        |    |
| **(B) P & T Service**                                                |                                                                          |             |        |    |
| Letter                                                                   | Letter                                                                   | 4.94        | 4.94   |    |
| Postcard/Acknowledgement                                                 | Postcard/Acknowledgement                                                 | 0.35        | 0.35   |    |
| Packet                                                                   | Packet                                                                   | 0.37        | 0.37   |    |
| Parcel                                                                   | Parcel                                                                   | 0.47        | 0.47   |    |
| **Total (B)**                                                            |                                                                          | **6.13**    |        |    |

**Grand Total (A + B)**

**550.79**

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