Expects the momentum to continue with over 10% growth
The total number of mails delivered by the postal department in 2008-09 has seen an increase after a gap of five years, primarily on the back of a rise in the delivery of business mails. There has been a steady fall in the delivery of mails in recent years due to competition from private players.
In 2008-09, the Department of Post (DoP) carried over 6.54 billion mails, as against 6.39 billion in 2007-08. The number of mails carried by the department was at 8.63 billion in 2003-04, after which there has been a continuous fall.
Though there has been an increase in the delivery of business mails, individual mails are still on the decline.
“We have seen an increase in the business mails this time. But individual mails are still on the decline. All of this can be attributed to the fact that there has been a rise in advertisement mails, plus credit card statements and other similar mails related to various businesses,” a senior DoP official said.
The department expects this momentum to continue with over 10 per cent growth in business mails in 2009-10.
However, the decline in the delivery of individual mails is likely to continue as the means of communication among people have changed. With internet and mobile penetration increasing across the country, people find it convenient to communicate through emails and SMSes rather than sending letters.
“We have also been promoting our services more aggressively now. The infrastructure has also been put in place for faster delivery and better customer care,” the official said.
The department, which is facing stiff competition from private courier companies, had also undergone an image makeover recently to offer better services and compete with the private players.
In the second half of 2008, DoP had launched ‘Project Arrow’ to transform its brand ‘India Post’ into a vibrant and responsive organisation. As of now, over 1,000 post offices have been modernised with an investment of Rs 152 crore. Under the project, post offices are equipped with latest computerised infrastructure combined with a new look. Employees are also being trained to handle customer queries in a better way.
