Lok Sabha Question No. 1743 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-05-04
Subject: Postal Services
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: T.G. VENKATESH BABU, SONA RAM CHOUDHARY, K. MARAGATHAM

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF POSTS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1743 TO BE ANSWERED ON 4 TH  MAY, 2016

## POSTAL SERVICES

1743.   SHRI VENKATESH BABU T.G.:

COL. SONARAM CHOUDHARY: SHRIMATI K. MARAGATHAM:

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

- (a) the details  of  services  presently  undertaken  by  the Postal  Department  in  the country and the revenue earned from those services;
- (b) whether manpower and infrastructural requirements are sufficient to meet the growing demands for additional services being rendered including Postmasters and Postmen by the Postal Department;
- (c) if not, whether the Government has any proposal to recruit more personnel and to open more new post offices in the country;
- (d) if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the  steps  taken  to  further  improve  the  services  and  efficiency  of  Postal Department in the country?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)

- (a) Present  traditional  services  provided  by  the  Department  of  Posts  are  Letters, Letter Cards, Post Cards, Competition Post Cards, Meghdoot Post Cards, Book pattern &  sample  Packet,  Book  Packets  containing  Printed  Books,  Book  Packets  containing periodicals,  Blind  Literature  Packets,  Registered  News  Papers,  Parcels,  Registered Parcels,  Business  Reply  Envelops  and  Cards,  Insurance  of  Postal  articles,  Value Payable  Letters,  Value  Payable  Parcels,  Money  Orders,  Electronic  Money  Orders, Instant  Money  Orders,  Mobile  Money  Transfer  Service,  Indian  Postal  Orders  and Registered  Letters.  Besides,  following  financial  Services  are  also  provided  by  the Department:
- (i) Post Office Savings Bank (POSB)
- (ii) International Money Transfer Services
- (iii) Retailing of Mutual Funds through Post Offices
- (iv) National Pension System (All Citizen Model) product of Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority
- (v) Jan Suraksha Schemes mainly Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY), Pradhan Mantri Jeewan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PJJBY) and Atal Pension Yojana (APS)

However, details revenue earned from major services are as under:-

| Items of Revenue Receipts                             |   2012-13 |   2013-14 |   2014-15 |   2015-16 (Up to Pre March, 2016) |
|-------------------------------------------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------------------------------|
| Speed Post                                            |   1261.5  |   1372.21 |   1495.21 |                           1601.9  |
| Business Post                                         |    823.9  |   1029.52 |    962.54 |                            730.79 |
| Bill Mail Post                                        |    104.9  |    102.98 |    103.56 |                             98.09 |
| Express Parcel Post                                   |     78.9  |     77.63 |     64.33 |                             59.53 |
| Business Parcel                                       |      0    |      0    |     48.14 |                             90.41 |
| Retail Post                                           |     72    |     70.22 |     84.36 |                             77.02 |
| Sale of Postage &Service Stamps                       |    649.06 |    670.67 |    522.76 |                            432.75 |
| Logistic Post                                         |     49.5  |     15.25 |     24.43 |                             15.31 |
| Commission on Money Orders & IPOs                     |    501.9  |    606.89 |    641.98 |                            464.82 |
| Others*                                               |    793.24 |    869.78 |   1018.64 |                           1263.57 |
| Revenue from P.O. (Including Commission from MGNREGA) |   4334.9  |   4815.15 |   4965.95 |                           4834.19 |
| SBCC                                                  |   5031.6  |   5915.27 |   6670.03 |                           7650    |
| Total Revenue                                         |   9366.5  |  10730.4  |  11636    |                          12484.2  |

(b) No, Madam.

(c) Yes, Madam.

(d) Yes, All cadres in Department of Posts have fixed sanctioned strength to deliver services rendered by the Department. Whenever any posts in any cadre falls  vacant  due  to  unavoidable  circumstances  such  as  promotion,  retirement, death, deputation or leave, the duties of such posts is managed by redistribution and combination of duties in Post Offices for ensuring smooth delivery of Postal Services till the time these posts are filled up on regular basis. Filling up of such vacancies is an on-going process in the Department as per provisions contained in the Recruitment Rules of each cadre, provided that the total working strength should  not  exceed  the  sanctioned  strength  of  a  particular  cadre.  During  the financial  year  2016-17  the  Department  has  planned  to  open  93  Branch  Post Offices (40 by relocation & 53 by redeployment) and 90 Sub Post Offices (38 by relocation & 52 by redeployment)  in the country under the Plan Scheme-`Rural Business & Access to Postal Network'.

e) In order to improve the services and efficiency of postal department in the country,  following  initiatives  have  been  taken  by  the  Department  for  sorting, transmission and delivery of mail, which inter-alia includes:

i. Setting up of Automated Mail Processing Centres in Delhi and Kolkata for fast and efficient sorting of letters and packets.

ii. Provisioning of online track and trace facility for Speed Post, Registered Post and Parcels.

iii.  Infrastructure  upgradation  and  site  upgradation  of  sorting  offices  to improve mail processing.

iv. Introduction of dedicated point to point Road Transport for fast & secure transmission of parcels, especially e-commerce articles.

v.  Equipping  departmental  vehicles  with  Global  Positioning  System  for better monitoring.

vi.  Procurement of additional one tonner vehicles in order to ensure safe and secure transmission of Speed Post articles.

vii.  Online  availability  of  track  and  trace  facility  in  respect  of  Registered Articles and Parcels.

viii. The online KPI tool providing an effective mechanism for monitoring of performance and taking necessary corrective action.

ix.  IT  modernization Project will improve the service and efficiency of the Department by  way  of  better  financial  inclusion  especially  in  rural  areas, effective and transparent delivery of social security schemes including DBT Multiple Channels of access.

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