Tag: India Post

India: Courier industry concerned over weight

Posted by | Nov 6, 2007 | |

After the communications ministry drew from examples across the world for drafting the Indian Post Office (Amendment) Bill, the express/courier industry is now using the same global path to convince the government that `monopoly’ is a bad word.

The international examples are being cited mainly to illustrate the weight-and-rate criteria in the express/courier industry. It is learnt that the express industry representatives in a meeting with Ajay Shankar, secretary, Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), on Monday, cited global examples to make their point that some of the provisions in the Indian Post Office amendment draft bill are `retrograde’ in nature.

The industry is expected to make representations to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Planning Commission and the communications ministry, among others. Among the provisions to which the express industry is objecting include lowering of FDI to 49 per cent and exclusivity of the Indian Post to carry shipments below 150 gram.

The express industry could be allowed to carry shipment below 150 gm only if they charge a multiple of 2.5 times the speed-post tariff.

Currently, 100 per cent foreign investment is allowed in the sector and if FDI is lowered, India could lose out on its competitive advantage in the supply chain industry and global express distribution system, industry representatives are believed to have pointed out.

The industry is also opposed to the provision on regulating express operators and yearly renewal of registration.

The express operators have argued that among the countries where price multiple model is in place, the express industry is mostly out of the ambit of any monopoly. In New Zealand, UK, Estonia, Sweden, and Malaysia, for instance, there’s no monopoly of the government in the postal sector.

Sources in the government had earlier pointed out that the weight-and-rate criterion is prevalent in other parts of the world as well.

Read More

Cabinet considers FDI cap in couriers

Posted by | Oct 31, 2007 | |

This is one mail courier companies would be praying is returned to the sender. A Cabinet note circulated by the department of posts has mooted 49 pct cap on FDI in courier business.

If the proposal goes through, multinationals like Fedex, DHL, UPS and TNT who hold more than 49 pct in Indian ventures will have to pare stake. The draft of the Indian Post Office (Amendment) Bill has another whammy in store for the private sector.

It proposes to make letters, parcels and packets weighing up to 150 gm the exclusive preserve of India Post. Private players will have to charge 2.5 times the tariff specified by Speed Post to operate in this segment.

The proposal to amend the Indian Post Office (Amendment) Act has been revived despite opposition from other government departments and the courier industry. A source said posts secretary I M G Khan has sent a communication on the proposed changes to department of industrial policy & promotion (Dipp) secretary Ajay Shankar.

The proposals specify that a person eligible to seek registration for operating in the mail sector has to be a company in which not less than 51 pct of the paid-up share capital is held by the citizens of India.

The draft Bill has been sent to the Cabinet and, once approved, the government can introduce the Bill in Parliament, source added.

The private courier companies had vehemently opposed the amendments earlier too. “In an era of free economy, if the country is embracing any legislation of such nature, it would send a wrong image internationally and it would also wipe out a vibrant part of our economy,” EICI had said in a communication to telecom minister A Raja.

Read More

Emirates Post, India Post in tie-up to offer money transfer

Posted by | Oct 25, 2007 | |

UAE’s Emirates Post and India Post have inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enable UAE residents to transfer money to India through India Post’s vast postal network.

The MoU was signed recently in New Delhi by Salem Al Shaya, Assistant Director General, Operations, Emirates Post and Faiz-Ur-Rehman, Director General of India Post, during a recent visit of an Emirates Post delegation.

The move is aimed at helping UAE residents send money to their relatives by using the secure UPU-approved IFS system that will ensure delivery of money to every corner of India at reasonable rates. India has a network of 155,333 post offices, the largest in the world, covering the remotest corners of the country.

An India Post delegation will be visiting UAE next month to view Emirates Post’s facilities and arrangements, including IT systems, before implementing the system, said a press release.

Both sides expressed satisfaction at the level of cooperation between India and the UAE, and identified new areas, including parcels, Mumtaz and the Mail Transit hub in Dubai, to take the cooperation to the next level. The Emirates Post delegation included Saif Al Shehhi, Operation Director, and Nasser Qadoumi, consultant, postal services.

“The UAE and India has always had friendly relations in all fields, including postal areas,” said Salem Al Shaya. “As we have a large number of Indian customers, our efforts are focused on introducing better and more attractive products for them. This MoU is a significant development that will benefit hundreds of thousands of people in the India.”

Read More

Emirates Post and India Post in tie-up to offer money transfer through Indian postal network

Posted by | Oct 24, 2007 | |

The MoU was signed recently in New Delhi by Mr. Salem Al Shaya, Assistant Director General, Operations, Emirates Post and Mr. Faiz-Ur-Rehman, Director General of India Post, during a recent visit of an Emirates Post delegation.

The move is aimed at helping UAE residents send money to their relatives by using the secure UPU-approved IFS system that will ensure delivery of money to every corner of India at reasonable rates. India has a network of 155,333 post offices, the largest in the world, covering the remotest corners of the country.

Both sides expressed satisfaction at the level of cooperation between India and the UAE, and identified new areas, including parcels, Mumtaz and the Mail Transit hub in Dubai, to take the cooperation to the next level. The Emirates Post delegation included Saif Al Shehhi, Operation Director, and Nasser Qadoumi, consultant, postal services.

The two sides appointed teams to thrash out different issues before converting the agreement into an agreement. An India Post delegation will be visiting UAE next month to view Emirates Post’s facilities and arrangements, including IT systems, before implementing the system.

‘The UAE and India has always had friendly relations in all fields, including postal areas,’ said Mr. Salem Al Shaya. ‘As we have a large number of Indian customers, our efforts are focused on introducing better and more attractive products for them. This MoU is a significant development that will benefit hundreds of thousands of people in the India.’

Read More

Government to set up ATMs in post offices in India

Posted by | Oct 21, 2007 | |

In order to take economic development and technology to large masses of the country, government is contemplating to install especially designed Gramtells (rural ATMs) at post offices.

The suggestion to set up Gramtells at post offices formed part of the recommendations of the Steering Committee on Micro Finance and Poverty Alleviation, which is being considered by the Planing Commission for incorporation in the Eleventh Plan (2007-12).
Gramtellers are rural ATM machines developed by Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras. They operate by using smart cards and fingerprints in place of conventional personal identification numbers and magnetic cards.

“The post office network in the country should be used to deliver banking services, especially in the rural areas,” the Committee suggested.

They should further be encouraged to work as business facilitators and banking correspondents in accordance with Reserve Bank guidelines, it said.

The Common Service Centres (CSC), developed by the Information Technology Department to take electronic services to villages, may also be linked to post Offices to synergise the technology to handle financial products, the Steering Committee proposed.

It recommended that multi-purpose, unique ID-based smart card system should also be utilised for effective delivery of micro-credit.

Read More

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

P&P Poll

Loading

What's the future of the postal USO?

Thank you for voting
You have already voted on this poll!
Please select an option!



View ResultsHide Results

Post & Parcel Magazine


Post & Parcel Magazine is our print publication, released 3 times a year. Packed with original content and thought-provoking features, Post & Parcel Magazine is a must-read for those who want the inside track on the industry.

Subscribe to the Magazine

 

Pin It on Pinterest