Rules under Post Office Act to be issued in 6 months, says secretary

New Act ends letter transmission monopoly of Department of Posts, simplifies decision-making process at department, opens up new opportunities to provide services in collaboration with third parties

The Department of Posts will issue rules and regulations under the Post Office Act 2023 in the next six months, a top official of the department said on Thursday.

While speaking on the sidelines of Department of Posts Officers' Conclave 2024, Secretary Vandita Kaul told PTI that the new rules will bring transformation in the postal services with the use of modern technologies.

"We are now going to issue rules and regulations within six months. The subordinate legislation has to come out. This (India Post Office Act 2023) law has simplified what was a very old archaic law which was relevant at its time, but not now," she said.

The new Act ends letter transmission monopoly of the Department of Posts, simplifies decision-making process at the department, opens up new opportunities to provide services in collaboration with third parties, enables digital mode of payments for stamps and other charges etc.

"We have removed the notional monopoly on letter carriage because it is a free and open environment in this country and we allow competition without stifling competition. It is good for everybody and people have a choice," Kaul said.

She said that even earlier the letter delivering monopoly was only in the law but not implemented on ground.

"Our monopoly remains, obviously it's a sovereign function, to print stamps and stationary," Kaul said.

The conclave was inaugurated by Union communications minister Jyotiraditya Scindia who said that it is possible to make the loss incurring Department of Posts profitable if officials put their act together and make collective effort to achieve the goal.

The minister said that the expenditure of the postal department is to the tune of Rs 36,000 crore while revenue is the range of Rs 12,000 crore.

He said that the department can achieve a revenue of Rs 40,000 crore if it puts in place the success formula of "One team, one vision, one goal, one result".

Kaul said that the minister spoke largely about the legacy of trust that the postal department has and revenue was part of his speech.

She said that while ensuring financial inclusion in the country, the postal department has to be the best and need to be more professional.

"We also need to work in a more business oriented manner, not in the context of making profit. The citizens of the country will continue to get, and they will always continue to get services at a very reasonable, affordable cost, and that is our Universal Services Obligation," Kaul said.

She said there is a lot of scope to get business from the market, and not just from the market, but also by empowering people to help them understand the need for safe insurance, saving etc.

"Thereby we will bring in more funds into the kitty of the government, and people will be involved in the progress of the country while they empower themselves. At present, we are opening post offices in rural areas on a planned loss, because the government wants to reach the people," Kaul said.