India Post May Corporatize, Minister Says

To generate additional revenue, the department of posts has decided to develop and implement customised software products for postal networks in other countries. The department has completed a project for Uzbekistan and has bagged a contract for upgrading the postal network in Kazhakistan. ‘We are looking at ways and means to improve the department’s finances. Software development for postal departments of other countries offers huge potential,’ Sanjay Paswan, minister of state for information technology and communications, told Business Standard. The Postal Training Centre in Mysore had been dedicated towards this venture. Paswan said the department was also planning to regulate the huge courier market. ‘At present, the market is unorganised and we need to regulate it. The department is ideally positioned to act as the regulator,’ he said. To face the challenges from the private sector, the department might be corporatised, he said.