Soon, Post offices to be like banks

Under new project, select head post offices will have ATMs, offer internet and mobile banking.

Postal customers may soon be able to access their savings bank account in any post office in the city.

The department of posts is putting in place core banking solutions (CBS) at four of its head post offices in Chennai, and the process is expected to be completed by September. This means these post offices will become like banks and offer a range of services.

The head post offices on Anna Road and in T. Nagar, Mylapore and Tambaram will soon be networked via CBS, which is one of the postal department’s flagship projects.

At present, customers who have postal savings accounts have to go to the post office where their account is, to carry out any transaction. They also have to wait in long queues to withdraw cash or to get their monthly pensions.

But once CBS is implemented, customers can go to any post office covered under the system and carry out transactions. The project also envisages installing ATMs at these four post offices by October, so that their 2.5 lakh account-holders will be able to access their accounts at the swipe of a card.

Customers who have invested in savings certificates too, can encash them using CBS.

Officials of the postal department said they had tied up with Infosys to eventually implement CBS in 110 post offices across the city and its suburbs. Currently, software testing for the project is in progress.

Welcoming the move, 70-year-old D. Sriraman, a resident of Villivakkam, said this would benefit several people who now spend at least half an hour just to withdraw cash.  

The CBS project will be rolled out in all post offices over the next two years in a phased manner. Services offered will include internet banking, mobile banking and mobile transfer of money. The department also is mulling over a proposal to integrate other postal services with CBS.

Postmaster general, Chennai city region, Mervin Alexander said there are nearly 3.3 crore savings account-holders in the region. All postal employees are now being given extensive training in CBS, he added.    

Indian Postal dept makes room for IT letterboxes

INDIA: The letter that travels to our door may have new technology stamped all over. As the backbone of India's communication for over 150 years, the DoP plays a crucial role in the socioeconomic development of the nation. Urbanization, increased demand for financial services and increased funding by the government for the weaker sections and the rural sector have opened up new opportunities for the DoP and necessitated the development of new processes as well as supporting technology.

SAP AG announced that the Department of Posts (DoP), the government-operated postal system of India, has chosen SAP solutions to strengthen responsiveness and reliability across more than 155,000 post offices.

With this implementation, the DoP aims to deliver faster and more efficient services to the citizens and government and private organizations of India. The DoP is now one of more than 30 postal customers globally that have chosen SAP solutions to make mission-critical and customer-facing processes more effective, as shared in the announcement.

"SAP postal services customers are leveraging the latest technology to transform their business, from improving efficiency in back-office and core processes to creating new lines of operations within their existing infrastructure," said Hans G. Landgraf, head of Business Segment Postal, SAP AG. "With our experience, SAP is eager to help India's Department of Posts improve its business and increase transparency across its organization in order to meet the changing demands of its customers."

Armed with a transformation charter that includes a complete overhaul of operations under an IT modernization project, the DoP will leverage SAP applications that include SAP ERP, SAP Customer Relationship Management (SAP CRM) and SAP Supply Chain Management (SAP SCM) to help increase process efficiencies and meet its business, social and financial inclusion goals. As the DoP generates revenue of more than EUR1.1 billion while employing nearly 474,000 employees, it will also implement SAP solutions for streamlining internal processes in the areas of human resources, payroll processing and finance and accounts.

In addition to running core and back-office operations, SAP Sybase Adaptive Server Enterprise, SAP Sybase IQ software, SAP BusinessObjects^TM solutions and SAP Data Services software will offer the DoP the data warehousing and business intelligence (BI) needed for its entire operations system.

Appeal from Chief Post Master General, Uttarakhand Circle, Dehradun

First All Women Post Office in Kerala Circle

After the Police Department, the Postal sector in the State is now ready with its all-woman brigade.

At PMG Junction in the capital city, Kerala’s first all-women post office has opened its doors to the public. Its four employees, from the post master to the helper, are women. The post office will only be officially be inaugurated on Friday, but it has already caught the public eye, with its staff — post master S. Shanthi, postal clerk R. Manju, stamp vendor C. Chandrika, and helper Latha Kumari — gaining star status among the customers. Congratulatory messages and sweet packets are pouring into the post office, and so are best wishes notes, the staff members say.

“We are overwhelmed by the response from the customers who always have a word of encouragement for us. We understand that they also expect us to be more service oriented and hope to gain more loyal customers through our service”, explains Ms. Shanthi, who has been in the postal service for 31 years.

The post office is part of a national initiative to set up all-women post offices to empower women and encourage gender equality in various sectors. The first such office was inaugurated at Shashtri Bhavan in Delhi on March 8, International Women’s day. Since then similar post offices were started in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh.

Senior Superintendent, Thiruvananthapuram (North Division), A. Remadevi says the all-women post offices will have all the facilities available in regular post offices.

India Post applies for bank licence

    

With the Reserve Bank of India's deadline for applying for a bank licence fast approaching, the number of companies that have joined the list is rising. IndiaInfoline, Bajaj Finserv and the India Post are among the recent entities that have joined the ranks of licence seekers. 

"Bajaj Finserv Ltd has submitted its application to Reserve Bank of India on June 26, 2013 for a Licence to commence banking business in terms of section 22 of the Banking Companies Act, 1949. It is proposed to do this by converting its subsidiary Bajaj Finance Ltd into a Bank in terms of RBI Guidelines for Licensing of New Banks in the Private Sector dated February 22, 2013" the company said in a statement. 

Although the postal department has been expressing its ambitions to float a bank for long, RBI would have to create a special dispensation for India Post as it does not fit into several of the criteria prescribed by the central bank. Besides the prescribed norms, the postal department would face a huge challenge in putting in place a core banking solution that would facilitate a centralized view of all its accounts. However, there are many who feel that the postal department is ideally suited to spread RBI's objectives of financial inclusion. The department already mobilizes small investments through the Postal Saving Scheme and it has a network that is larger than any bank. 

Launch of Logistics Post Air Service

India Post has started “Logistics Post Air Service in Association with Air India on identified sectors amontst 15 linking airports, Agartala, Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Nagpur, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Imphal, Guwahati, Patna, Lucknow & Trivandrum (Thiruvananthapuram). The main  features of this service include.

(i)            First Category: Airport. Customer to deposit the consignment at the postal facility available at the airport premises at Logistics Post Air Booking Centre, Palam TMO, New Delhi – 110037 and the delivery will be effected to the customer at the post office facility at the destination airport.

(ii)          Second Category: City to City (on payment of additional charges). On payment of City to City charges, the consignment will be booked at Logistics Post Air Booking Centre, RMS Bhawan, Delhi -  110006 and the delivery will be effected at the Logistics Post Delivery Centres in the Destination city. (Minimum additional charges Rs 50 per consignment @ Rs. 1/- kg).

(iii)         Third Category: Door to Door (on payment of additional charges). Pick up from the premises or delivery at the permises of the consignment (Minimum additional charges Rs. 100 per consignment @ Rs. 2/- per kg).

Charges shall be as per volumetric weight rates to be followed in accordance with IATA standards (6000 cubic cm = 1 kg for the purpose). There will be four types of rates for Logistics Post Air Service viz.

(i)            Standard rate            -           For consignment upto 49 kgs.

(ii)          Bulk Rate (BA)         -           for 50 kgs to 99 kgs.

(iii)         Bulk Rate (BB)         -           For 100 kgs to 249 kgs.

(iv)         Bulk Rate (BC)         -           For 250 kgs & above

Agreement between DoP and IAF for despatch of consignments from the identified stations to various establishment of IAF through Speed Post

Department of Posts has entered into an agreement for Speed Post service with Indian Air Force for period of three years with effect from 11th June, 2013.

Department of Posts to seek Cabinet nod for Rs 1,900 crore funds

Department of Posts has started inter-ministerial consultations for seeking Cabinet approval on around Rs 1,900 crore fund requirement to start Post Banks in the country. 

"DoP will need around Rs 1,900 crore to start Post Banks in the country. This includes Rs 500 crore paid-up capital required under new banking licence guidelines and rest is for other capital adequacy norms that Post Banks will need to fulfil. Cabinet note has gone to various ministries to seek their views," a government official told PTI. 

The Department of Posts (DoP) has plans to apply for banking licence to offer full-fledged banking services along with postal services through post offices. 

The RBI has issued comprehensive guidelines for new bank licences. It has fixed July 1 as the last date for filing application by interested entities. 

The DoP has proposed to start 50 bank branches in the first year and scale it to a total of 150 branched in 5 years. 

There are around 90,000 bank branches in the country and provision of real-time banking services through postal network is estimated to triple the current banking network. 

Finance Minister P Chidambaram in this year's Budget speech said Post offices will become part of the core banking solution ( CBS) and offer real time banking services. He proposed provision of Rs 532 crore for the project in 2013-14. 

The Post Banks are proposed to be owned by DoP but with a completely independent board, governance structure and operations. It will have representation from Ministries of Finance and Communication & IT. 

Department of Posts to move cabinet note to apply for bank licence

The Department of Posts will move a Cabinet note in order to apply for a banking license by the stipulated deadline of July 1, a senior official has said, even as a top Finance Ministry went public with doubts over the efficacy of the post office being converted into a bank. 

"We are moving a cabinet note now and after that we will be applying for the licence. After the cabinet note, we will go ahead with setting up the bank," Postal Services Board's member, planning, Suneeta Trivedi, told PTI here. 

Trivedi asserted that the Department will be making the application by July 1, which is the last date set by the Reserve Bank for receiving applications. 

The department of Posts has engaged consultancy firm Ernst & Young for helping it at the application stage by creating the "whole concept" of the bank and has already gathered all the know-how to enter the fray. 

However, Department of Financial Services Secretary Rajiv Takru seemed to be not so much interested at the prospect of India Posts entering the banking fray. 

There is a lot more to banking than merely having the reach and opening savings accounts, he told reporters, adding that it also involves very complex things at the back end and seemed to suggest that a Japan-like case, where the postal department has a bank, may not work in the country. 

When asked about the same, Trivdei said, "We have worked out all on the know how, about everything. There is nothing like that" and added that there is no rethink on the part of the Postal department. 

DPS(HQ),Kerala Circle relieved on 05.06.2013

   

Director of Postal Services(HeadQuarters Region),Kerala Circle,Shri A.Govindarajan has been relieved on 05.06.2013 afternoon.He is set to join as DPS(HQ) ,TamilNadu Circle soon.

   

Post offices set for major revamp, minister says

The Centre is focusing on modernization of post offices in the country to improve service delivery and enable them to compete with courier companies, Union minister of state for communications and information technology Dr.KilliKruparani said today.

The Department of Posts has sanctioned Rs 4,700 crore for modernization of 1.55 lakh post offices, she said here.

Under the project, a provision of Rs 1,500 crore has been made to install computers in rural post offices, Kruparani said.

To overcome the delay in providing services, the Union government has embarked on a massive drive to upgrade postal infrastructure, Kruparani said.

She said all the post offices in the country will be soon providing online services.

The Minister was speaking after inaugurating the first all-women post office (Mahila Dak Ghar) in Andhra Pradesh which has come up in this port city.

"In the coming days, there will be more such post offices across the country for the convenience of women. The Centre intends to open Mahila Dak Ghars in every metropolitan city and big towns, especially where there is sizeable population of working women, Kruparani said.

India's Second All Women Employees Post Office in Mumbai.

India's Second All Women Employees Post Office is likely to be inaugurated by Hon'ble Secretary (Posts) Ms P. Gopinath in Mumbai on 12th April, 2013. 

On same day, a new set of Commemorative Postage Stamp on the occasion of completion of 100 years of GPO buildings Mumbai GPO, Agra GPO and others will be released by Hon'ble Secretary (Posts) at Mumbai GPO. 

Declaration of Holiday on 14th April, 2013 - Birthday of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.

MOST IMMEDIATE

F. No.12/4/2013-JCA-2

Government of India

Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances 86 Pensions

(Department of Personnel & Training)

North Block, New Delhi

Dated the 8^th  April, 2013.

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: Declaration of Holiday on 14^th  April, 2013— Birthday of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.

It has been decided to declare Sunday, the 14^th  April 2013, as a Closed Holiday on account of the birthday of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, for all Central Government Offices including Industrial Establishments

throughout India.

2.         The above holiday is also being notified in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 (26 of 1881).

3.         All Ministries/Departments of Government of India may bring the above decision to the notice of all concerned.

Sd/-

(Ashok Kumar)

Deputy Secretary to the Government of India

2309 2589

Correction in Clause l70 of Post Office Guide Part-I regarding amount of compensation payable in case of loss/damage of registered articles

To view please Click Here.

Department of Posts launches e-post, fax post services in in J&K

The Department of Posts today launched e-Post and fax post services in Jammu and Kashmir for transmission and delivery of greetings and messages.

The new services were launched by Minister for Finance and Ladakh Affairs, Abdul Rahim Rather, during a function at Gandhi Nagar HeadPost Office here.

Rather sent message to all the Postmasters of the state mentioning that such services will prove a boon for the rural areas, to inaugurate the new service.

The Minister, on the occasion, also released J&K Postal Circle's Calendar for the financial year 2013-2014 depicting the rich diversity and beauty of state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Lauding the steps taken by Department of Posts for improving the postal services in the state under Chief Postmaster General John Samuel, Rather said: "Since Samuel has taken the command of Postal establishment in Jammu and Kashmir things in the Department has changed rapidly."

"He has infused a new sense of enthusiasm among the postal employees which is quite evident from visible change in their working," Rather said.

The Minister appreciated the steps taken by Department of Posts, J&K Circle, in making J&K a financially inclusive state adding that Post Offices have wider reach than the banks and hence play an active role in the financial development of people living in the state.

"It is impressive that Department of Posts have achieved target of 100 per cent Financial Inclusion in 150 villages in the state and achieving 35 per cent growth which is highest in the country despite being a small state," he said.

Samuel, meanwhile, said that DoP, J&K Circle, was making an extra effort for brining Post Offices closer to people.

Briefing about the new services, the Chief PMG said that through e-POST, customers can send their greetings and messages to any address in state and country. 

Source:-The Economic Times

Revision of e-Payment Tariff structure

Transaction Value	Rate (Per Transaction)*
Up to Rs.1000/-	Rs.5/-
Rs.1001/- to Rs.2500/-	Rs.10/-
Rs.2501/- to Rs.5000/-	Rs.15/-
Above Rs.5000/-	Rs.20/-

* Rate are exclusive of service tax.

The revised tariff structure will come into effect from 1^st January, 2013

Disbursement of pension to Postal Pensioners through Nationalized Banks in addition to Post Offices w.e.f. 01.01.2013

Postal Directorate has approved the disbursement of pension to its new as well as existing pensioners/Family pensioners through nationalized Banks in addition to  Post offices with effect from 01.01.2013.

Click here to view the Directorate orders in original.

India Post Issues Stamps to Mark 20 Years of India Israel Diplomatic Relations

India and Israel diplomatic relations were established in 1992. To mark the occasion of 20 years of diplomatic relations, India Post has issued a set of two stamps (Joint Issue-each stamp of Rs. 5 denomination)depicting the festival of lights, Deepavali & Hanukkah, on 5th November, 2012. 

Hanukkah, is a Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabeen Revolt of the 2nd century BC. Hanukkah is observed for eight night and days, starting on the 25th day of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar by lighting candles in windows or doorways on each of the eight nights of Hanukkah. The candles are lit in a unique candelabrum, the nine-branched Menorah or Hanukkah. 

Like the ‘diyas’ of Deepavali, the Hanukkah candles symbolize the triumph of good over evil and the victory of justice over injustice. 

The design of the Deepavali Stamps features a row of lit ‘diyas’ whereas a menorah is featured on the Hanukkah Stamp which is inspired by the wooden menorah used by the Jewish community in Mumbai. 

The stamps are valid for postal use till the stocks last. India Post Commemorates National and International events by releasing Commemorative and Special Postage Stamps. 

Source:-PIB

Scheme for payment of pensions to postal pensioners through nationalised banks

To view the Booklet for the scheme please Click here.

UPU News:-Postal sector strong in face of change

The postal sector plays a decisive role in providing social and economic cohesion, confirmed ministers and other dignitaries at the UPU’s ministerial conference.

            Sachin Pilot, Indian minister for communications and information technology

A government can use the postal network to deliver services that a decade ago may have been impossible, said Sachin Pilot, the Indian minister for communications and information technology, at the UPU’s ministerial conference, held yesterday.

India has the world’s largest postal network with 155,000 post offices across the country, 95 per cent of which are in rural areas. More than 25 million Indians also live outside the country, sending back remittances that amounted to 64 billion USD last year, said Pilot. The Post plays a pivotal role in helping people transfer money from abroad to India. Technology is helping this become seamless, transparent and secure, he added.

While the challenges facing the developing world differ from those of industrialized nations, all countries are vulnerable to economic and technological changes. 

“Conditions and capacities are not the same everywhere,” Harsha Singh, deputy director general of the World Trade Organization said. It can be difficult to implement the most appropriate policies but building cooperative and interactive frameworks should be a key concept of postal services, he advised.

As for the sector’s sustainable growth, this required sustainable infrastructure. “The postal business matters,” said Philip Jennings, UNI Global’s general secretary, representing almost five million postal workers.The infrastructure should connect all citizens, all consumers, all businesses, Jennings added.

In the United States, the continuing shift of communication to the internet has had a serious impact on the finances of the postal industry, said Patrick Donahoe, the US Postal Service’s postmaster general. In the last 10 years, first class mail decreased by half - from 50 billion units to 25 billion – resulting in a loss of 11 billion USD. As mail volume falls, fewer postal employees and facilities are needed, “but the sole purposes of the postal service is to meet the needs of the customers” - an objective that has not changed, Donahoe said.