CHAPTER 2.
PROCEDURE FOR ISSUE AND RENEWAL OF LICENSE
1. (a) The Franking Machine User shall buy a digifrank plus franking machine of any model approved by Department of Posts from Franking Machine Vendor authorized by it.
(b) After the purchase of the machine the Franking Machine User shall deposit in any post office the license fee as prescribed by DG(Posts) from time to time (presently Rs. 375/- for five years) and obtain ACG-67 receipt for it. This will be credited into Unclassified Receipt (UCR).
(c) Then the Franking Machine User shall apply for License for the use of franking machine through the Franking Machine Vendor to the Licensing Authority on the prescribed application form (Annexure ‘A’) for issue of a license duly filled and ACG-67 receipt in original. Formats of Annexure A will be available in the ‘Digifrank plus’ portal which will be given a link on the India Post homepage and form (Annexure A) will also be available in post offices. In case the Franking Machine User is a Commercial Licensee he shall be required to submit a list of clients along with their consent letters on whose behalf he wants to frank the mail.
(d) The Licensing Authority shall issue the license after verification of the particulars as per checklist given in Annexure ‘B’ and satisfying himself about the genuineness of applicant, procurement of the model of the machine approved by the Department of Posts and payment of fee for License. The verification may be carried out through field staff SDIP/ASPOs/PRI(P)s etc. No verification shall be necessary in the cases of the applicant being a Central / State government / quasigovernment organizations, Local Authorities, other Authorities within the territory of India or under the control of Central/State Government like Public Undertakings, Corporations, Nationalised Banks, Co-operative Banks etc.
(e) The Licensing Authority shall issue four copies of ‘Certificate of License’ (Annexure ‘C’) generated in the system assigning the Customer Reference Number (CRN) as per the procedure specified in Annexure ‘D’ after feeding the necessary details in the system. A barcode containing the License Identifier and Customer Reference Number will be generated at the time of generation of the License on the Certificate of License. An additional barcode will be printed on a separate card or on a sticker that will be affixed on a card which may be called as Digifrank plus License Card. This card will be used to capture the franking machine particulars at the time of accepting credit through e-payment. It must be printed using a laser printer or deskjet printer to ensure good quality of printing so that there may not be any difficulty in scanning the barcode at the time of transaction in post office. The copies of the Certificate of License generated will be authenticated by the licensing Authority with his signature and designation stamp. He shall be given a Username and Password by the DCR for the purpose of uploading the information on Licenses issued which shall include details like: License Identifier, License Number/CRN, date of issue/expiry of license, Licensee name/address/contact numbers, License Type, designated post office/DMO/DFPO. The webpage would automatically include the name of Licensing Authority that has filled in the information on webpage. The Licensing Authority will activate the License for operation of franking machine by setting the status of the machine to ‘Registered’. This will create a customer account file on the DOP Server. On the basis of the information submitted for issue of license the system will generate the printable copy of Certificate of License (Annexure ‘C’). One copy of the Certificate of License will be sent to Franking Machine User, one copy to the Designated Post Office/Mail Office/Field Post Office where the franked mail is to be deposited and one copy to the RMFS Center. The Licensing Authority shall issue the Certificate of License within 10 working days from the date of receipt of Application for issue of License and shall record the detail of License issued in the ‘Register of Licenses Issued’ as per Annexure ‘E’. Separate page will be provided for each licensee in the register of licenses issued. The reasons for delay, if any, will be communicated to the CPMG/PMG/ Additional DG of APS who will look into this for appropriate action so that the license is issued at the earliest possible time.
Note:- The DCR shall ensure that the concerned Licensing Authority shall get access rights to access the webpage designed to create license issue file and modification files. The DCR shall also ensure that the concerned Licensing Authority gets access to the machines under his jurisdiction only. In all such instances like change of license authority etc. where the new licensing authority has to unblock the machine in the jurisdiction of the old licensing authority the information shall be routed through DCR for desired action. The DCR shall issue and manage username/passwords for this functionality.
(f) After the license has been issued the Franking Machine User shall also deposit an advance for first setting for minimum amount of Rs. 2000/- into the branch of the designated Bank (presently only State Bank of India) to be credited into DOP account against the License Identifier (FM unique number of the machine). For this purpose the DOP Server will be sending a license information file to Bank Server and the Bank branches may accept the credit for activated licenses only. Or franking machine user may deposit amount of advance for first setting of franking machine at any post office having e-payment facility.
(g) The respective RMFS - N/P/F [N (for Neopost), P (for Pitney Bowes) and F (for Francotyp Postalia*)] will download the file meant for them so that the customer accounts are automatically created on the RMFS server. This downloading shall be done at the time the RMFS server dials the Department of Posts Server.
* Franking machines of Francotyp Postalia have not been approved for selling yet.
(i) The Franking Machine can now download funds from the RMFS server by dialing and after successful download, shall be ready to frank.
(j) The franking machine shall ideally be ready for use, i.e. all above exercises may be completed, within 14 working days normally from the date of submission of application for License. The concerned CPMG/ PMG/ APS Authority must be kept informed of the delay, if any, in issue of license and act under his orders to expedite the issue of license. This can be checked by the Inspecting Officer at the time of annual inspection of the Licensing authority that Licenses have been issued within the prescribed time frame and cases of delay were reported to the higher authority as stated above for appropriate action in time.
(k) The Franking Machine User shall paste a copy of the Certificate of License on a Record Book to be maintained by him (Annexure ‘G’) and is kept with him. The Designated PO/RMS/FPOs Office shall maintain a similar Record Book (Annexure ‘H’) with a copy of Certificate of License pasted on it.
2. General conditions for licensing are as follows:
a. Only India specific machine of the model approved by the DoP shall be granted postal license. List of models approved by Technology Division of the Directorate vide its letter no. 2-1/2005 Tech Vol IV dated 24.12.2009(Annexure ‘U’).
b. The Department of Posts will not accept any responsibility for any damage or loss caused to the licensee due to purchase of unapproved model or defective machine or any damage done to the machine.
c. A license is necessary for the possession of a franking machine whether old or new. In case of change in the name of licensee, fresh license (License Number) will have to be issued and the earlier cancelled. Fresh license will be issued on payment of fresh license fee of Rs.375/- and the same procedure will be followed as in the case of new license of the machine to a new owner. The previous owner will not be entitled to any refund of license fee for un-expired period. The Licensing Authority shall input the details of new License on the webpage like:
New License Number, Licensee Name/address/contact numbers, License issue/expiry date, License cancellation date and Designated PO. The subsequently affected fields shall be updated on the RMFS server when it uploads the required file from the DCR server. Information of cancellation of license will be sent by the licensing authority to all whom a copy of it was sent at the time of issue of license. In this situation the register reading of meter shall continue even when Licensee has changed and a new CRN has been issued. The issue of funds remaining in the machine should be settled between the new owner and the old owner in offline mode. It means new CRN/License Number shall start from the old register readings of the License Identifier at the time of change in the name of the Licensee. Fitness certificate from the vendor will be required at the time of change in the name of Licensee.
d. The licensing authority reserves the right to refuse the issue or renewal of a license and cancel a license without assigning any reasons for the same.
e. In case of denial of license the Licensing authority shall refund the License Fee to the applicant within 30 working days from the date of such refusal.
f. The renewal will be subject to the satisfaction of the licensing authority about the proper use of the machine and on physical condition of the machine as technically evaluated by the Franking Machine Vendor. The Franking Machine Vendor shall issue a Fitness Certificate (as per Annexure ‘I’) on satisfactory evaluation.
g. The licence for each machine shall be issued for a period of 5 years on payment of Licence fee as prescribed by Director General (Posts).
(3) Renewal of License:
(a) The Franking Machine User shall have to initiate the process of License Renewal at least one month in advance before the actual expiry of his Certificate of License. Failure to do so will invite an additional surcharge of Rs. 100/- that will be credited under head UCR.
(b) The Franking Machine User shall deposit the prescribed license fee for renewal of License in any Post Office in the same manner as prescribed above in para 1(b) of Chapter 2.
(c) Then the Franking Machine User shall apply for renewal of Certificate of License through the Franking Machine Vendor to the Licensing Authority on the prescribed Application form for renewal of license (Annexure ‘J’) duly filled in. He would also attach ACG 67 receipt as proof of payment of License Fee and Fitness Certificate (as per Annexure ‘I’) given by the Franking Machine Vendor.
(d) The Licensing Authority shall renew the license for a further period of five years after verification of the particulars as per Annexure ‘J’, of receipt in token of having deposited Renewal fee and of Fitness Certificate from Franking Machine vendor. He may obtain a report on the working of machine and on adhering to the conditions prescribed for use of franking machines from the Designated Office if felt necessary. The Certificate of License will be generated in the system by the Licensing Authority after feeding the necessary information in the system.
e) After the renewal by the Licensing Authority it may send, by fax wherever available, and post, one copy of the approved Certificate of License to the Franking Machine User, one copy to the Designated Office where mail has to be deposited, one copy to the RMFS Center and retain one copy for its own record.
The copies of Certificate of License will be authenticated by the Licensing Authority with his signature and impression of his designation stamp. The Licensing Authority shall renew the License within 5 working days from the date of receipt of Application for renewal of License as far as possible provided all requirements stated above are fulfilled at the time of receipt of Application and shall record the detail of License renewed in the ‘Register of Licenses Issued’ as per Annexure ‘F’ under the signature of licensing authority. The reasons for delay, if any, will be communicated to the CPMG/PMG/ Addl DG, APS who will look into this for appropriate action.
(f) The Licensing Authority shall fill the relevant data, on the Department’s webpage, for License Renewal like; License renewal/expiry date, etc. and submit to the Department of Posts Central Resource for onward transmission. The respective RMFS - F/N/P [F(for Franco Postalia), N(for Neopost) and P(for Pitney Bowes)] will download the file meant for them so that the status of customer account is automatically updated in the RMFS server. This downloading shall be done at the time the RMFS server dials the Department of Posts Central Resource Server.
(g) The Franking Machine User shall paste a copy of the renewed Certificate of License on the Record Book maintained by the Franking Machine User (Annexure ‘G’) and is kept with him. The Designated Office shall maintain a similar Record Book (Annexure ‘H’) with a copy of renewed Certificate of License pasted on it.
(h) In case the license is not renewed in time, a customer account shall automatically get withheld/blocked after the expiry date of the license and the machine cannot download funds till the account is activated again by the Licensing Authority. The license (license number) may be cancelled after expiry of 3 months from the date of expiry of the License if Licensee has not applied for renewal. However a notice in this regard will be issued to the Licensee giving him 15 day notice to explain why license should not be cancelled.
4. Renewal of license after expiry. Procedure followed for renewal of license in such case will be the same as prescribed for renewal within the currency of the license.
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