AHMEDABAD: Speed Post and Bill Mail Service contribute around 25% to the Rs 650 crore revenue of Gujarat postal circle's annual revenue.
"Gujarat postal circle is growing by 12-15% every year — this is double the national average. Speed Post and Bill Mail Service are our flagship services and generate huge revenues," said Kamlesh P Raval, deputy chief post master, GPO, Ahmedabad.
Besides services such as Speed Post, around 45% of the circle's revenue comes from postal life insurance, savings bank and its other premium services.
Postal life insurance is growing at the rate of 25% as more and more people are subscribing to the low-cost scheme.
The postal department has tied up with several e-commerce companies to deliver parcels and hopes for good income in view of the long festive season ahead.
James Smith, an American living in Ahmedabad, regularly sends parcels to his friends and relatives in the US. Thursday was no different. James, along with his wife sent a parcel containing clothes to a friend in Baltimore, US. This cost him Rs 9500 or just $158. Smith said sending parcels by post from India is not only economical but also reaches the destination on time and does not involved customs hassles.
"Every day, on an average, 600 parcels are sent through the General Post Office (GPO) in Ahmedabad. Out of these, around 20-25% are for destinations outside India," said Raval.
The head offices of the department of posts in various districts are being made compliant with core banking solutions (CBS) to enhance the banking services.
State's first Post Shoppe opens next week
On the occasion of 'World Post Day' on October 9, the Gujarat postal circle will be holding various programmes over next one week. During this week, the state will also get its first Post Shoppe at the General Post Office (GPO) in Ahmedabad.
"We are planning to start the first Post Shoppe with stationery items. It is likely to be inaugurated by October 15," said Kamlesh P Raval, deputy chief post master, GPO, Ahmedabad. The postal department is also looking for tie-ups with Gandhi Ashram and various institutions for selling souvenirs, books and other items.
During the weeklong celebrations, the Gujarat postal department will invite schoolchildren to visit post offices and also hold philately day and awareness drive to make people aware of various postal schemes.
Postal depts joins global drive
World Post Day is celebrated each year on October 9 to mark the anniversary of the establishment of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) in 1874 in the Swiss capital, Berne. It was declared World Post Day by the UPU Congress held in Tokyo, Japan in 1969. Since then, countries across the world have participated in the annual celebrations. The postal department of many countries use the event to introduce or promote new products and services. According to United Nations, countries all over the world have committed themselves this year to working together towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Playing their part in this global effort, the postal departments have become more relevant than ever before by providing infrastructure for development.
e-greeting for just Rs 10
From delivering mail to sending e-greetings, the postal department has come a long way in the past few years. ePost by India Post, a combination of traditional post and email technology, can deliver your greetings in just one day anywhere in the country. epost is a service under which printed or even handwritten messages of customers are scanned and transmitted as email using the internet. At the destination offices, these messages are printed, put in an envelop and delivered by postmen like other letters to the addressees. For this purpose, epost centres have been set up in post offices, covering all districts and major towns. One greeting card or message is charged just Rs 10; no extra charge for stationary or stamps.
Source: Times of India
