Postal Dept should target 20 pc growth rate: Sibal

Communications and IT Minister Kapil Sibal today said the Department of Posts (DoP) should target a growth rate of 20 per cent. “I think this is an area where the growth can be 20 per cent,” Sibal said during the inauguration of a two-day postal conference here.
The DoP has a growth rate of 12 per cent at present, he added. The government is working on a National Postal Policy (NPP) would have clear goals, defined role of various operators in the sector and regulatory mechanism in place.
The policy will be framed in consultation with various stakeholders of the Indian postal sector which will include various players in logistics, courier and e-commerce business. “I do have a vision for the postal department in India… I am deeply committed to the progress of this department,” Sibal said, adding, this is an area which can truly transform the rural economy. The DoP also plans to set up 1,000 automated teller machines (ATMs) across the country under its modernisation plan. DoP has got approval of Rs 1,877.20 crore to be spent across these projects over a period of two years and will seek additional funds when the need arises. The DoP also plans to computerise all its 1.55 lakh post offices across the country by 2013.

Two Day Conference of Heads of Postal Circles Begins

Two Day Conference of Heads of Postal Circles Begins

Shri Kapil Sibal ,Union Minister for Communications and Information Technology(C&IT) has said that India Post is in an enviable position due to its reach and has the potential to transform rural economy and life. Shri Sibal said this while inaugurating the two day annual conference of Heads of Circle of the Department of Posts. During the 2-day event, discussions will focus around the challenges being faced by India Post in the 21sth Century. India Post is faced with the twin challenges of induction of various modes of technology in communication and also the proliferation of couriers on the other. The organization has geared itself to assimilate technology in its operations in a big way. It has also embarked upon the path of providing quality postal services to its customers. The Speed Post is already a brand to reckon with. Other initiatives like introduction of Core Banking Solutions in the Post Office Savings Bank, expansion of Postal Life Insurance and streamlining of the parcel service area also on the anvil. Apart from this, India Post is preparing itself to have a vast technological network to connect all the rural Post Offices. The organization hopes to be a reliable partner for various Government Departments for delivery of their services in the villages where no other network has the kind of reach which India Post has got. Training of the Postal Staff to adapt itself to the use of technology in a big way is also a major challenge. Plans are being worked out by India Post to provide adequate training to all its personnel in use of technology. This is going to be the thrust area in the next couple of years. India Post has a vast network of 1,54,866 post offices in the country. It handles over six billion articles of mail every year with the help of nearly half a million employees. India Post also runs Post Offices Savings Bank (POSB). Apart from offering various saving scheme, to the common man, POSB also disburses Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme( MGNREGS) wages. It has 5.4 crore accounts which disbursed Rs. 7430 crore as MGNREGS wages during 2011-12.