India post eyes on international-parcel delivery and e-commerce

Panaji: Sensing the end of postal communication, the department of posts has decided to step up its services by venturing into international-parcel delivery and e-commerce thus increasing their efficiency and attempting deeper penetration into the net-savvy population.

"The future of post lies in parcel delivery," said Goa region postmaster general Vinod Kumar Verma.

He added that a single international parcel fetches the same amount of revenue as four domestic parcels. Weighing the potential profit in this sphere, the postal department intends to set up two postal booths in Goa in a month's timeat Calangute and Canaconawith four staff members at each booth.

E-commerce giant Amazon had initiated its pilot project with India Post in September this year, as a result of which the company has tied up with the postal department to deliver in Mumbai and Pune. Still in its experimental stage, Amazon will decide whether or not to have a similar tie-up in Goa and other regions depending on India Post's delivery performance during the pilot project.

The department has also launched a project of introducing cash on delivery facility for parcels and speedpost. So also, an initiative to connect all the post offices at a central level.

Three new ATMs will be set up in Goa at Panaji, Margao and Mapusa for the withdrawal of postal service money. In addition to this, two new schemes have been launched a month ago Prime Minister Suraksha Bima Yojana and Prime Minister Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana. So far there have been no takers for this scheme in Goa, said officials of the department of posts.

On problems with internet connectivity of the department's web portal, Verma said that the issues will be resolved.

Source:Times of India