YEAR
END REVIEW-2021: DEPARTMENT OF POSTS
Ministry of Communications
YEAR END
REVIEW-2021: DEPARTMENT OF POSTS
POSTMAN
MOBILE APP IMPLEMENTED IN 1.43 LAKH POS INCLUDING 98,454 POST OFFICES IN RURAL
AREAS
ELECTION COMMISSION OF INDIA TIES UP WITH DEPARTMENT OF POSTS FOR DELIVERY OF
ELECTORS PHOTO IDENTITY CARD THROUGH SPEED POST ACROSS THE COUNTRY
POSTAL DEPARTMENT INSTALLS GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (GPS) IN APPROX. 1263
OPERATIONAL MAIL MOTOR SERVICES (MMS) VEHICLES ACROSS THE COUNTRY
ENTERS INTO MULTILATERAL AGREEMENT WITH 120 COUNTRIES TO ENABLE FASTER CUSTOMS
CLEARANCE OF POSTAL ITEMS
POSTAL DEPARTMENT FACILITATES CLEARANCE, PROCESSING AND DELIVERY OF COVID
RELATED EMERGENCY SHIPMENTS RECEIVED THROUGH POST FROM ABROAD DURING 2ND COVID
WAVE
1.67 CRORE NEW ACCOUNTS OPENED; APPROX. RS. 8.19 LAKH CRORE VOLUME OF
TRANSACTIONS HANDLED IN CBS (CORE BANKING SERVICE) POS
2.26 CRORE SUKANYA SAMRIDDHI ACCOUNTS OPENED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF POSTS, TILL
OCTOBER, 2021 SINCE INTRODUCTION OF THE SCHEME; APPROX. 86% OF TOTAL SSA
ACCOUNTS IN THE COUNTRY ARE THROUGH POST OFFICES ONLY
Over
12 lakh applications processed through Post Office Passport Seva Kendras from
January, 2021 to October, 2021
More than 1.49 Crore requests for aadhaar enrollments / updations processed by
13,352 Post Office Aadhaar Centres from January, 2021 to October, 2021
1789 Branch Post Offices opened in 90 identified Left Wing Extremism (LWE)
affected districts in country; 3114 new Branch Post Offices (BOs) to be made functional by March, 2021
Posted On: 29 DEC 2021 11:33AM by PIB Delhi
For more
than 150 years, the Department of Posts (DoP) has been the backbone of the
country’s communication and has played a crucial role in the country’s social economic
development. It touches the lives of Indian citizens in many ways: delivering
mails, accepting deposits under Small Savings Schemes, providing life insurance
cover under Postal Life Insurance (PLI) and Rural Postal Life Insurance (RPLI)
and providing retail services like bill collection, sale of forms, etc. The DoP
also acts as an agent for Government of India in discharging other services for
citizens such as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme
(MGNREGS) wage disbursement and old age pension payments. The Year End Review
for Department of Posts highlights the achievements, and progress on various
initiatives of department in the year 2021.
- Supply
Chain and e-Commerce: Mail, Express Services and Parcel:
- Real
time updation of delivery: Postman Mobile App implemented in
1.43 lakh POs including 98,454 Post Offices in rural areas. Real time
delivery status of 47.5 crore from January-October, 2021 Speed Post and
registered articles done through the Postman Mobile App.
- 98%
letter box is attached with Departmental Post Offices have been covered
under electronic clearance through Mobile App named “Nanyatha”.
- A
flagship product of Department of Posts “Speed Post” marked are venue of
Rs. 1413.34 crores for handling of traffic of 34.97 Crores during the
period of January 2021 to October2021.
- Department
is the sole delivery partner of UIDAI since it since option. DoP so far
been delivered 166.73 crore Aadhaar cards through ordinary posts and 1.56
crores Aadhaar PVC cards through Speed Post from Jan 2013 to Nov 2021
- Department
of Post shas entered into a tie up with LIC of India for providing
complete print to post solution for printing and delivery of policy bonds
issued by LIC where in more than 2 crore Policy Bonds are expected to be
printed, posted and delivered in a year through Speed Post, generating
are venue of more than Rs.100 crores per annum.
- Department
of Posts has entered into tie up with Election Commission of India (ECI)
for delivery of Elect or Photo Identity Cards (EPICs) through Speed Post.
In the initial phase, ECI would provide 6-7 Crore EPICs for delivery
through Speed Post, generating are venue of around Rs. 100 in a year.
- Department of Posts has installed Global Positioning
System (GPS) in approx. 1263 operational Mail Motor Services (MMS) vehicles
across the country and also implemented PS based online tracking system
for all the MMS operative vehicles in all Postal Circles with 24X7
control rooms.
- 17
additional new MMS vehicles have been purchased for Jammu & Kashmir
Postal circle to improve inter-state connectivity.
- 75
new vehicles have been replaced against condemned vehicles in various
Circles during the current FY 2021-22.
- A
multilateral agreement for the exchange of electronic advanced data (EAD)
has been entered into with more than 120 countries. This agreement shall
enable transmission of electronic customs data of International Postal
items before their physical arrival at the destination country. It shall
also enable faster customs clearance of Postal items.
- PRIME United States Postal Services
(USPS) tracked service agreement is signed between India Post and USPS.
It will meet the customers demand for a cost-efficient and track-able
service. It will help in increasing the mail volume and revenue of India
post.
- In order to simplify and ease the customs
clearance of International articles, automated Postal Bill of Export
(PBE) Software is being developed by DoP. The first version of automated
(PBE) software is developed and it is under production environment. It will
ease the process of commercial export through Postal Channel by enabling
customs clearance in digital mode. After implementation of this software
the booking of commercial exports will not remain limited to notified
locations.
- International Business Center (IBC) Surat
was inaugurated by Minister of State for Communications on 03.11.21. It
will provide a much-needed platform in the region to boost commercial
export and will fulfill the demands of exporters.
- During the 2nd wave of COVID-19, Department
of Posts in collaboration with Customs authorities, facilitated
clearance, processing and delivery of COVID related emergency shipments
received through post from abroad e. g. oxygen concentrators, equipment,
medicines etc. In order to further facilitate the clearance and faster
delivery of such shipments a COVID helpdesk was established at Dak Bhawan
and all Offices of Exchange.
2.
Banking Services and Financial
Inclusion:
- Digital Financial empowerment
of the public at large: DOP serves more than 29.29 crore Active POSB
accounts through 1.56 lakh post offices across length & breadth of
the country and have an outstanding balance of Rs. 12,56,073 crore under
Post Office Savings Bank (POSB) Schemes. Overall, 1.67 crore new accounts
opened and Rs. 4.71 lakh crore Deposits, Rs. 3.48 lakh crore withdrawal
made thereby approx. Rs. 8.19 lakh crore volume of transactions handled
in CBS (Core Banking Service) POs. As a result, Net addition of 51.45
lakh accounts and Net deposits of Rs. 1,22,851 crore have been done in
CBS POs since April, 2021.The Post Office CBS system is the largest
network in the world with 24,971 Offices already on this network. Further
1,29,219 Branch Post Offices have been also enabled to access the network
on real time basis. The CBS has enabled the DOP in providing 24x7
services through ATMs, Internet & Mobile Banking.
- Fiancial Empowerment of Rural
Populace: All the 9 Small Savings Schemes of MoF are available in 1.56
lakh Post Offices. 5 Schemes, namely, Monthly Income Scheme, Senior
Citizens Savings Scheme, Public Provident Fund, National Savings
Certificate & Kisan Vikas Patra have been introduced in Bos (Branch
Post Offices). People living in rural India will not be required to come
to town & cities to do any Post Office Savings Bank (POSB)
transaction. The same will be available at their doorstep through local
Branch Post Offices.
- Economic Empowerment of Girl
Child: Sukanya Samriddhi Account (SSA) scheme is also known as girl child
prosperity scheme and was launched by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi
Ji on 22nd January, 2015 in Panipat, Haryana. SSA scheme ensures a bright
future for girl children. This scheme has facilitated them in proper
education, marriage expenses and securing their future. The Sukanya
Samriddhi Account can be opened in any post office. A total of 2.26 Crore
Sukanya Samriddhi Accounts have been opened with deposits amounting to
Rs. 80,509.29 Crore, by the Department of Posts, till October, 2021 since
introduction of the scheme. Approx. 86% of the total SSA accounts in the
country are through Post Offices only.
- Insurance and Pension
coverage of masses at reasonable rates: The PM Jan Suraksha Schemes,
namely, Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY), Pradhan Mantri
Jeewan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) & Atal Pension Yojana (APY) were
launched by Hon’ble Prime Minister in May, 2015. The DOP has been playing
an active role under these Government of India flagship schemes and had
made 3.47 Lakh Atal Pension Yojana (APY), 7.54 Lakh Pradhan Mantri Jeevan
Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) (including annual auto renewals) and 1.38
crore Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) (including annual auto
renewals) enrolments so far.
3. Postal Life Insurance (PLI)/Rural Postal Life Insurance
(RPLI):
- A provision has been introduced for
claimant to file an appeal against rejection of death claim cases in
PLI/RPLI.
- “Sankalan” e-compendium comprising Post
Office Life Insurance Rules 2011, various Standard Operating Procedures,
Forms etc. was released on occasion of PLI Day i.e., 01.02.2021 for ease
of officials working at various offices as well as for the use of
customers and is also available on website.
- Rule 61 of POLI Rules, 2011 has been
amended wherein the restriction of two (2) years for settlement of claim
on death due to suicide has been reduced to one (1) year, at par with
insurance industry practice.
- Business Performance of PLI and
RPLI:
As on 31.10.2021, there were a total of 100.51 lakh active PLI and RPLI
policies with an aggregate sum assured of Rs. 2.32 lakh crores.
- Investment Functions of PLI and
RPLI Fund:
The total corpus of PLI/RPLI fund has reached Rs. 1.27 lakh crores upto 31.10.2021.
- Bima Gram Yojana : From January
2021 to October 2021, 6,657 villages brought under the coverage of Bima
Gram Yojana (BGY). Each Bima Gram Yojana village has at least 100
households covered by one RPLI policy.
- Customer can procure Postal Life
Insurance policies online without visiting Post Office. To facilitate
multiple payment option of PLI premium and disbursement like Maturity/
Surrender/ Survival/ Death / loan, a
close integration with Post Office
Savings Bank (POSB) has been done, wherein policy holders can
use Standing Instructions (SI), POSB eBanking, mobile banking facility
and also use Post Office ATM facilities. Multiple payment gateways have
also introduced in the system for online premium payment.
- PLI/RPLI Policy bonds in digital format
are now available to policy holders through DigiLocker.
4. Citizen
Centric Services:
·
- Post Office
Passport Seva Kendras (PoPSK): With the growing
need of citizens for a passport, Ministry of External Affairs and
Department of Posts have mutually agreed for setting up Post Office
Passport Seva Kendras (PoPSKs) in post offices to utilise the reach and
infrastructure of Post Offices for delivering passport services. 428
PoPSKs have been made operational till date, of which 02 PoPSKs have been
opened in 2021 namely (i) Dombivali, Maharashtra and (ii) Ekma, Bihar. 12,01,360
applications have been processed through PoPSKs from January, 2021 to
October, 2021.
- Aadhar Enrolment and Updation
Centres: The facility has brought convenience to the citizens
by way of generating new Aadhaar and updating their Aadhaar cards in case
of any change/mis-match. More
than 42,000 Postal Officials/MTS/GDS
have been trained/certified to perform Aadhaar
operations. The Aadhaar Enrolments are done free of cost. 13,352 Post
Office Aadhaar Centres have been set up across the country. 1,49,50,803
requests for enrollments / updations have been processed by these Centres
from January, 2021 to October, 2021.
- Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT): More than
3.29 crores transactions were performed involving an amount of Rs. 3607
crores for a period from January, 2021 to October, 2021. Disbursed
benefits of more than 275 schemes of different Ministries to
beneficiaries including those in remote and rural areas.
- Digital Inclusion: 1,29,252 Branch
Post offices are using SIM based handheld Point of Sale (POS) devices.
·
Digital Advancement of Rural Post Offices for a
New India (DARPAN): Carried out 12.87
crores online Postal and financial transactions involving an
amount of Rs.19,402/- crores for a period from January, 2021 to October, 2021
through 1,29,252lakh Branch Post Offices in the rural areas of the country.
More than 1.95 crores transactions per month are taking place through DARPAN
devices.
PO-CSC (Post Office-Common
Service Centres): A convergence of Post Offices and
Common Service Centres for effective delivery of various citizen centric
services is a part of the five-year Vision Document (2019-24) of the Department
of Posts. Accordingly, 91867 Post offices are now providing CSC services
through Digital Sewa Portal of CSC.
- Launched
on 04.05.2020 in 22 Pilot Post Offices selected from 11 Circles.
- Expanded to 91867 offices by Oct 2021.
- MoA Signed
between DoP and CSC-SPV on 15.12.2020
- More than 49669
Operators trained
- 100+ CSC
Services are offered through these POs which include G2C and B2C
Services.
- Since its
inception, as on 31.10.2021, 7.37 Lakh transactions worth ₹59.9 Crores
were delivered through 91867 PO-CSCs
- Some
of Government to Citizen Schemes Promoted by CSC are:
- Pradhan Mantri
Street Vendors’ Atma Nirbhar Nidhi Yojana
(PMSVANIDHI)
- Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana
(Ayushman Bharat)
- Pradhan Mantri
Shram Yogi Maan-dhan Yojana (PM-SYM)
- Pradhan Mantri
Laghu Vyapari Maan-dhan Yojana (PM-LVM)
- The Election
Card Printing
- Various
e-District Services
- Some of B2C
(Business to Citizens) Services offered are
- Bharat Bill
Payment System Bills (Electric, Gas, Water bills etc...)
- Renewal Premium
collection for Life Insurance Policies and General Insurance such as
Motor Vehicle,etc
- Third party
services such as EMI collections for various loans offered by financial
institutions and submission of online application forms for loans.
- Travel services
such as Ticket booking service is available for Flight, Train and Bus
Tickets
- Opening of new Branch
Post Offices (BOs) in 90 identified Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected districts in the country: In pursuance of the Ministry of Home
Affairs (MHA) Note for Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), a proposal
for opening of 4903 new Branch Post Offices (BOs) in 90 identified LWE
districts in the country was under taken. In the first phase, 1789 Branch
Post Offices have been opened, so far. Recently, Ministry of Finance
(MoF) has approved the proposal for opening of remaining 3114 BOs in 90
LWE districts. In this context, 3114 Gramin Dak Sewaks –Branch Postmaster
& Assistant Branch Postmaster posts have already been sanctioned to
all concerned circles viz, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh,
Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Telangana & Uttar
Pradesh respectively for opening of remaining 3114 BOs in 90 LWE
districts. All concerned circles have already been intimated to make 3114
BOs functional by the end of the March.
5. Public Grievances:
- Centralized Public Grievance
Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS): Revamping of
Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) was
done by mapping over 1.5 lakh Post Offices till the level of Branch Post
Offices byintuitive navigation of complaints to the line-end offices for
faster resolution of grievances. Department of Posts was the first
Department to revamp CPGRAMS in collaboration with Department of
Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances. This version not only
saves time of resolution but also reduces human intervention by bypassing
infructuous levels. The option of remedy of Appeals against resolution
was provided to the complainants on CPGRAMS in Jan 2021. The details of
the grievances handled in 2021 upto 15.11.2021 areas under:-
|
Year
|
Complaints received
during the period including
B/F
|
Complaints settled
during the period
|
% of
settlement
of settle ment
|
Average disposal time
(days)
|
|
01.01.2021 to
15.11.2021
|
48637
|
46585
|
96
|
16
|
- Social Media Cell: Social Media Cell
is an independent entity and deals with the Twitter, Facebook &
Instagram accounts of the Department of Posts. Social media team has been
strengthened and its working hours extended from 8 hours a day to 16
hours a day. Consequently, the overall average first response time was
brought down to 1 hr 35 minutes from over 4 hours. The details of the
complaints handled in 2021 upto15.11.2021 areas under:-
|
Year
|
Complaints
received
during the period
|
Complaints
settled
during the period
|
% of
settlement
|
|
01.01.2021 to
15.11.2021
|
2,39,133
|
2,37,187
|
99.2 %
|
- India Post Call Centre
(IPCC): The Department rolled out India Post Call Centre
(IPCC) on 01.06.2018 in Varanasi.
The facility of Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) in IPCC is
available for customers 24*7*365. Presently, IPCC is working in eleven
languages mapped with geographical locations of the customers. 1.46 crore
calls have been serviced in IPCC since its inception. Postal Life
Insurance/Rural Postal Life Insurance and Financial Services facilities
have been integrated in IPCC which enables IPCC to disseminate the
citizens’ centric information to the citizens.
- Implementation of Dynamic Queue
Management System (DQMS) in Post Offices: Dynamic Queue
Management System (DQMS) has wire based calling terminal which is
available at counters and operates on a stand-alone software. A dispenser
with thermal printer is available at the entry gate. DQMS has been
installed in 325 Head Post Offices having six or more than six working
counters. This has helped the public in reducing waiting time, increase
in processing capacity, providing comfort level to staff and customers
and monitoring customer flow.
- Special Campaign to reduce
pendency from 2nd Oct to 31st Oct 2021: Among all
Ministries/Departments of Government of India, Department of Posts also
participated in the special campaign from 2nd Oct to 31st Oct 2021, to
reduce pendency. During the special campaign, the Department ensured
significant disposal of Public Grievances, references from Members of
Parliament, State Governments and Parliament Assurances. Further, all
efforts were taken to improve records management, weeding out of files
and overall cleanliness of Government Offices.
- Initiatives taken by the
Department in the COVID-l9 situation: CPGRAMS Portal: A separate
category for 'COVID-19' grievances was created on CPGRAMS to address and
monitor grievances of the public with regard to their postal needs in the
backdrop of the pandemic. 879 grievances have been resolved within the
prescribed timeline of 3 days from 01.01.2021 to 22.11.2021.
6. Marketing & Visibility of Department of Posts:
- Department of Posts is also taking a
number of steps to increase the visibility and awareness about postal
products and services. In the current fiscal, the Department has
undertaken several activities/ campaigns for the marketing of its
products and services which include release of advertisement in Radio,
TV, Hoardings, etc. The Social Media handles are being utilized for
marketing of its products and services.
- Apart from this, the Department of Posts
is among the first few Departments of Government of India to set up its
social media accounts. This enabled the Department in engaging with its
customer base directly. So far, the Department of Posts has over 308.4K
followers on Facebook, 323.8K on Twitter, 9.8k on Instagram and 204.9K on
KOO. Videos related to the Department of Posts and various schemes of the
Department are being uploaded on YouTube. There is constant update on the
activities undertaken by the Department and promotion of Departmental
products is being done on daily basis.
- Department of
Posts also has its own web portal (https://www.indiapost.gov.in) wherein
information is regularly uploaded and updated for generating a broader
awareness and visibility about the activities, products and services of
the Department.
- Through social
media accounts of the Department of Posts, updates to the citizens about
the Government initiatives, services being provided by the Department,
and activities undertaken are being done.
- Release of
advertisement for promotion, publicity and advertising of Postal Life
Insurance and Rural Postal Life Insurance through Radio Jingles in AIR FM
and local FM channels across the country in the month of March 2021.
- Under the initiative of the Government of
India, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting shared creative for
promotion and publicity of "Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna
Yojana" PM-GKAY Foodgrains through Post Offices. This special scheme
was initially available for 2 months (May & June) which was extended
to November 2021. The creative on PM-GKAY was displayed in all the Post
Offices across the country.
- Under the initiative of the Government of
India, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting shared Jan Andolan
Campaign 2021 creatives with renewed emphasis on ‘Dawaibhi, KadaiBhi’
with focus on the five-fold strategy viz Testing, Tracing, Treatment,
COVID appropriate behaviour and Vaccination which was shared to all
Circles on 8th April, 2021. The same was displayed in all Post Offices
and also through the Social Media Handles of the Department of Posts.
- Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
shared creatives on “Vaccines for all, Free for all” campaign, an
initiative of the Government of India, was carried out in all Post
Offices in the month of June 2021. This campaign was also carried out in
the Social Media Handles of the Department of Posts.
- Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
shared creatives on India’s achievement of “100 Crore vaccination mark”,
which was displayed in all Post Offices across India. The creatives were
also displayed in the Social Media Handle of the Department of Posts.
- In the online campaign for celebrating
Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav which is being coordinated by the Ministry of
Culture, a major event relating to rendering of National Anthem of India
(Rashtragaan) was done through the link https://rashtragaan.in/ which was
shared to all Directorates/Divisions/Sections of the
Department and also to the Circles. A
total of 2,11,608 of the Department took part in the online campaign.
- An online quiz competition was held over
the Social Media Handles of the Department of Posts in commemoration of
Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav in the run up to Independence Day 2021. Four
winners were selected from four Social Media Handles of the Department which
was declared on 15th August 2021 and were presented with goody bags.
- In regard to dissemination of information
about the constitutional right to legal aid and availability of free
legal aid services, NALSA has entered into a collaborative project with
the Department of Posts. In this collaborative project Nation-wide
sensitization is done through all Post offices across India owing to
their well-established network. This dissemination of information of
NALSA is being provided free of cost as a social obligation of the
Department of Posts.
- 11th Oct to 17th Oct 2021 was celebrated
as India Post- Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav ICONIC Week, during which various
activities, programs, webinars were conducted and also promoted on social
media in collaboration with PIB and MyGov. Briefly described as below:
- As engaging activities, a week-long
activity for audience in collaboration with My Gov was organised where
audience were asked to share snap/photo of their preserved
letters/postcards along with brief touching story about it, at My Gov
platform. Also, on Philately day, audience were requested to share their
first stamp collected with the story behind it.
- Webinars on the themes of “How India Post
is contributing towards financial inclusion in rural areas”, on “Postal
Life Insurance-Insuring Lives & Assuring Happiness” and “India Post
for MSME, Small Business, Artisans “Aatmanirbhar Bharat’s Logistics partner”
were live streamed on the social media handles of the Department.
- In respect of on ground activities,
various financial inclusion Melas with special focus on Sukanya Samriddhi
Yojana, PLI/RPLI were conducted across the country. Coverage on the Melas
were done on the Social Media Handles of the Department. In respect of on
ground activities, various financial inclusion Melas with special focus on
Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana, PLI/RPLI were conducted across the country.
Coverage on the Melas were done on the Social Media Handles of the
Department.
- Documentary on India@75 (Azadi ka Amrit
Mahotsav), as provided by Ministry of Culture were displayed in the Melas
to bring awareness and special cover on India@75 in consultation with
Ministry of Culture was release which was also displayed through the
Social Media Handles of the Department.
- The whole week milestone on number of
Sukanya Samriddhi Accounts opened, total number of life insured/covered
were also shared through the Social Media Handles of the Department.
- On 14th October 'Business Development
Day', a total of 1.16 lakhs Aadhaar transactions (enrollment/updation)
were done in 1641 Camps/Melas across the country and the same was also
shared through the Social Media Handles of the Department.
- Special Covers on Unsung Heroes of the
respective State / UT in consultation with Ministry of Culture were
released on Philately Day. The same was also shared on Social Media
Handles of the Department.
RKJ/M
(Release ID: 1785991)
