Rajya Sabha
To meet the competition from couriers, business products like Speed Post, Express Parcel Post and Business Post have been introduced. A number of value additions like free pick up, credit facility, volume based discounts, door delivery, online track and trace system, as also pre-mailing activities have been introduced. Further to give a focused attention to development of mail business products in the changing scenario, and to make use of opportunities being created by new technologies, a Business Development Directorate has been set up in the Department of Posts which aims at developing new products and services to suit the needs of different segments of customers and to utilise the work force of the Department. This information was given by the Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology Dr. Shakeel Ahmad in a written reply to a question by Shri R.P. Goenka, in the Rajya Sabha today.
Dr. Ahmad further informed the House that as a result of the efforts of the Department of Posts, the revenue from business products has gone up to Rs. 747.25 crore last year from Rs. 563.64 in the preceding year. Speed Post and Business Post, the two mail services have shown a rapid growth. The Minister further said that multi-pronged action for continuous growth and improvements in tune with the requirements of different customer segments, emerging economic scenario and technology development has been taken. It is a continuous process which is being closely monitored at all levels.
The Minister further informed the members that retail network of the Department of Posts has been leveraged for providing new services and generating additional revenue. Besides using the Internet for providing an online track and trace facility, a web-based product called ‘e-post’ has been introduced. Customers can now send e-post messages like e-mail through their computers, which will be printed in e-post centres in post offices near the addressees, and would be delivered like a letter. Customers can also bring their messages to post offices in written text, which would be scanned and sent like an e-mail further to be either delivered to an e-mail addressee, or to be printed in e-post centres near the addressees for being printed and delivered.
(Release ID :5297)