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20 Points We Should Know About IPPB

1. What is a Payments Bank?

A Payments Bank is a “differentiated bank” set-up under the guidelines issued on Nov 27, 2014 by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to further financial inclusion for the underserved population by providing (i) current and savings accounts and (ii) payments or remittance services to migrant labour workforce, low income households, small businesses, unorganised sector entities and other users. This is to be done by enabling high volume-low value transactions in deposits and payments or remittance services in a secure technology-driven environment.

2. Why is a Payments Bank required?

A vast majority of the rural population (over 60%, as per RBI), is still unbanked or underbanked. An easily accessible payments network and universal access to savings is fundamental to financial inclusion. At the same time, several non-banking entities such as the Department of Posts (DoP), prepaid payment instrument companies, business correspondent companies, etc., have had reasonable success in facilitating payments and other select financial services in urban areas. Their customers, however, face several limitations and difficulties arising out of their nonbanking status. Of particular note amongst these is the DoP which has a wide network and experience of handling financial transactions, but does not have a banking license. Given their potential to further the cause of financial inclusion, the RBI granted such entities a differentiated banking license, i.e. a payments bank license, which enables these entities to provide banking services other than credit. Credit and insurance are as integral to financial inclusion as are other banking services, and payments bank can offer these products as well but only in partnership with other banks/ insurers and on a non-risk sharing basis.

3. What is the scope and activities of the Payments Bank?

• As per the RBI Guidelines, the payments bank will be set up as a differentiated bank and shall be permitted to set
• up its own outlets such as branches, Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), Business Correspondents (BCs), etc. to undertake only certain restricted activities permitted to banks under the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, as given below:

1. Acceptance of demand deposits, i.e., current deposits, and savings bank deposits from individuals, small businesses and other entities, as permitted. The payments bank will be restricted to holding a maximum balance of Rs. 1,00,000 per individual customer.
2. Issuance of ATM / Debit Cards. Payments banks, however, cannot issue credit cards.
3. Payments and remittance services through various channels including branches, Automated Teller
4. Machines (ATMs), Business Correspondents (BCs) and mobile banking.
5. Issuance of PPIs as per instructions issued from time to time under the PSS Act.
6. Internet and mobile banking - The payments bank is expected to leverage technology to offer low cost banking solutions.
7. Functioning as Business Correspondent (BC) of another bank – a payments bank may choose to become a BC of another bank, subject to the RBI guidelines on BCs.
8. As a channel, the payments bank can accept remittances to be sent to or receive remittances from multiple banks under a payment mechanism approved by RBI, such as RTGS / NEFT / IMPS.

• Payments banks will be permitted to handle cross border remittance transactions in the nature of personal
• payments or remittances on the current account.
• Payments banks can undertake other non-risk sharing simple financial services activities, not requiring any commitment of their own funds, such as distribution of mutual fund units, insurance products, pension products, etc. with the prior approval of the RBI and after complying with the requirements of the sectoral regulator for such products.
• The payments bank may undertake utility bill payments etc. on behalf of its customers and general public.

4. Are there any restrictions on payments banks as compared to other commercial banks?

• Given that their primary role is to provide payments and remittance services and demand deposit products to small businesses and low-income households, payments bank will initially be restricted to holding a maximum balance of Rs. 1,00,000 per individual customer.
• Payments banks cannot issue credit cards and cannot grant loan/ credit out of their own books of accounts.
• Apart from amounts maintained as Cash reserve ratio (CRR) with RBI, Payments Bank will be required to invest minimum 75 percent of its demand deposit balances in Government securities/treasury bills with maturity up to one year and hold maximum 25 percent in current and fixed deposits with other scheduled commercial banks for operational purposes and liquidity management.
• The payments bank cannot set up subsidiaries to undertake non-banking financial services activities. The other financial and non-financial services activities of the promoters, if any, should be kept distinctly ring-fenced and not comingled with the banking and financial services business of the payments bank. 
• The payments bank will be required to use the words “Payments Bank” in its name in order to differentiate it from other banks.

5. Has this model of Post office setting up a bank worked anywhere else in the world?

Postal operators are the leading financial services providers in over 75% of the countries around the world. Someof the Post Banks in the world have been highly successful, i.e. Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland, France, China,South Korea, South Africa, Morocco to name a few.

Department of Post

6. Why is DoP setting-up a payments bank?

• DoP has been successfully running the Post Office Savings Bank for the Ministry of Finance. Setting up itsindependently owned bank is the next logical progression. Based on feasibility studies and a subsequent Detailed
• Project Report, the Department, in 2013, made an application to the RBI and a proposal to the Public Investment Board (PIB) to set up a universal bank. However, the Department was advised by the PIB to set up a “differentiated bank” under the relevant guidelines. Accordingly when the RBI came up with the guidelines for licensing of Payments Banks in November 2014, the Department of Posts made an application for the same and got the in-principleapproval in September 2015 for setting up its payments bank.
• The setting up of the payments bank is therefore necessary in view of current market realities and to ensure continued relevance of DoP’s products and services. Among other things, the decision to set up the payments banks comes in the wake of changes in the banking and payments landscape in the country. The payments bank will ensure that the banking and payments services offered through the postal network are well integrated and completely interoperable with the rest of the banking and payments ecosystem and will leverage new age technology in line with key technological advances in the banking sector such as unified payments interface (UPI).

7. What is the GOI’s outlook on DoP’s foray into banking?

In the Union Budget of 2015-16, the Honourable Finance Minister made the following announcement:

“The Government is committed to increasing access of the people to the formal financial system. In this context, Government proposes to utilize the vast Postal network with nearly 1, 54,000 points of presence spread across the villages of the country. I hope that the Postal Department will make its proposed Payments Bank venture successful so that it contributes further to the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana.”

In his Independence Day speech at the Red Fort, on 15th August 2016, the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi spoke about IPPB:

“The Post Office is an example of our identity. We have revived and rejuvenated our post offices. IT is now linked with the poor and small persons. If any government representative gets the affection of a common man in India, it is the postman. Everyone loves the postman and the postman also loves everybody, but we never paid attention towards them. We have taken a step to convert our post offices into payments banks. Starting with this, the payments bank will spread the chain of banks in the villages across the country in one go”

8. How will setting up the payments bank benefit DoP?

The payments bank will not only drive revenues for DoP but also help in maintaining DoP’s brand image and relevance in the current financial landscape that is evolving rapidly. For e.g. Utility bill payments services of the IPPB as a Bharat Bill Payment Operating Unit (BBPOU) will help DoP in increasing its market share in the utility bill payments space and provide technology driven services to customers. New age technology will enhance customer experience, provide more options and help in serving the larger cause and vision of the GOI i.e. to bring about financial inclusion for the vast unbanked and underserved population.`

9. What will be the role and relationship of DoP with the proposed payments bank?

• The payments bank will be 100% owned by the Government of India via DoP, and will have an independent board of directors with representation from DoP and other stakeholders from within the Government of India to ensure strategic alignment with the overall objectives of the DoP and the Government of India.
• The post offices at different levels will be the main customer touch points for the bank’s services. A close liaison between the bank and DoP staff at the access points will be maintained on a regular basis at the branch level for success of the delivery model India Post Payment Bank (IPPB)

10. When will India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) start operations?

IPPB is expected to start operations in FY 2017-18

11. How many branches are likely to be opened?

IPPB is slated to have 650 branches at district headquarters. All post offices across the country will function as customer access points for IPPB.

12. What will be the USP for IPPB?

The latest payments and banking technology, easy to use interface, the trusted network of the post office and its dedicated staff with a local connect will be the USP of the IPPB. IPPB will bring in innovative services and interface for its target customer segments in all areas. The accessibility and ease of use of services through a combination of modern technology and the widespread DoP physical network, capable of providing door step services will make it a unique payments bank. Through a combination of physical and digital channels, payments bank will build the most accessible bank in the country especially in rural and underserved areas of the country.

13. How will IPPB employees be recruited? What are the various mechanisms through which they get selected?

Various options regarding the recruitment and selection of IPPB employees have been considered. These include deputation from DoP or other public sector banks, direct recruitment through IBPS, contractual arrangements for certain skilled staff positions etc.

DoP’s role in IPPB

14. How will IPPB function?

IPPB has been set up as a Public Limited Company under the Department of Posts with an independent Board of Directors. It will be headed by a Managing Director and CEO, and will set up a corporate head quarter and approx.

650 branches to manage its functions on a day to day basis. IPPB will leverage the physical and IT infrastructure of the Post office and be set up on a lean operating model. It will focus on low-cost, low-risk, technology led solutions to extend access to formal banking. 

Products and Services

15. How will the products and services of IPPB be different from DoP’s payment and remittance products?

• DoP payments and remittances products are based on the basic money order services adapted for the digital age.
• While IPPB will provide the same benefits of payments and remittances to the customers, by adopting newer, efficient processes and technologies such as mobile based payments, digital wallets and innovative payment and remittance products that are continuously emerging in the market today. Combined with doorstep banking transactions and easy to use mobile and internet banking options IPPB will significantly improve accessibility of its services. Additionally, IPPB products will be well integrated and inter-operable with the rest of the banking industry.
• IPPB will drive the benefits of financial inclusion by bringing a host of financial products to suit the needs of different strata of society with special focus on the marginalized sections and citizens in rural areas.
• Product innovation will be a continuous exercise to expand the bouquet of services adapting to the evolving needs of its customers technologies and the rapid advancements in communication and payments

16. Will there be an impact on POSB?

• Apart from savings account with up to INR 1,00,000 in deposit, the products offered by IPPB are different from POSB products. POSB savings accounts do not have any ceiling limit unlike payments bank savings account. On the other hand payments banks can offer current accounts for use by businesses and institutions whereas POSB does not offer these accounts. Other kinds of deposits under POSB are unique to it and will not be on offered by the payments bank. POSB accounts are mainly savings instruments.
• Simply put while POSB is more focussed on returns from small savings, IPPB will be focussed on transactions.
• Thus there will be an inherent synergy between the two and each will complement the other.

17. How will IPPB improve disbursement of subsidies?

IPPB is being set up by the GoI with a primary focus of improving the Direct Benefit Transfer of various subsidies.

IPPB will be providing a robust technology platform for DBT disbursements and build a strong reporting mechanism.

By channelling a majority of subsidy disbursements through its combined network, DoP-IPPB combine will significantly increase its current market share.

Customers

18. Who will be the target customer of IPPB?

Apart from the existing customers of the DoP, IPPB will focus on the underbanked and unbanked population in different parts of the country. It will also try to target services for MSMEs, senior citizens, students, migrant population, low income households, unorganized sector and other groups with special service requirements.

19. How will the customer choose between the savings account of POSB and IPPB?

• Both POSB and IPPB will have different branding and the product features will be quite different. At time of signing up, customers will be clearly told what the product features are and customers will be able to choose the product of their choice.
• Given the difference in purpose of the two accounts, the POSB customers can be encouraged to open an IPPB account for managing their fund flow including bill payments, remittances to other family members, businesses etc.
• depending on their needs. Customers focusing on savings may prefer to have their deposits with POSB and transact through their IPPB account as per requirements.
• Customers will be given the option to channel money from their IPPB accounts to any of the POSB schemes. For example, an IPPB customer will be able to use money in his account to open and service a RD/ TD/ SSY or any other POSB account. Thus both IPPB and POSB can synergistically serve the customers.

Overall

20. I would like to know more and contribute to the IPPB journey. How can I do that?

You can send your questions and suggestions to pbi-project@gov.in or call us at +91 11 23096008 and check for regular updates on https://www.facebook.com/ippbonline/ and http://utilities.cept.gov.in/dop.

India Post plans separate firm to sell collectible stamps.

 India Post is eyeing a jump of Rs. 100 crore in turnover from the philately segment.

It proposes to set up an independent public limited company to boost revenue.

The Department of Post is planning to set up an independent company for its philately business with an aim to boost revenues from the sale of collectible stamps.

India Post Philately Company is proposed as a public limited company, fully owned by the government, with an authorised capital of Rs. 100 crore.

“The proposed company will be a service-based one, which will not only sell its products to existing customers —collectors and philatelists — but will also try to attract new ones. It will focus on promotion of philately, mainly among the younger generation,” a senior official told The Hindu.

The proposal would soon be sent to the Cabinet.

Philately in textooks

As part of the strategy to spread the interest in philately among the younger generation, S.K. Sinha, Secretary, Posts, wrote to the Department of School Education and Literacy under the Ministry of Human Resources Development last month, seeking that a chapter on philately be included in the textbooks for Class V, VI, or VII.

India Post is eyeing a jump of Rs. 100 crore, or over 250 per cent, in turnover from the philately segment to Rs. 141 crore in the current fiscal.

The earnings from this segment stood at Rs. 39.88 crore during 2015-16 and Rs. 32.85 crore during 2014-15.

This does not include revenues from the sale of stamps meant for daily use.

As per the proposal, the new firm will have a corporate office and four zonal offices. The board of directors will have seven officials. While the Secretary, Department of Posts, will be the non-executive chairman, India Post officials of the rank of Joint Secretary will be appointed as chairman and managing director on deputation. The board will have three persons from the department and four outsiders.

The Department of Company Affairs will also be represented on the board. Inter-ministerial consultations will be held with the Departments of Expenditure and Legal and Company Affairs, and their views would be incorporated in the Cabinet note.

In the six months from January to June this year, the Department has issued 14 commemorative stamps. 

courtesy:-http://www.thehindu.com

Bottled Ganga Jal Is An Instant Hit At Post Offices.

   The wait is over for millions, the bottled drink of the season is here. Weeks after Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad promised to have Ganga jal delivered to people's doorsteps through the postal system, the scheme took off with a splash. The service was launched in Patna on Sunday with much fanfare. Considered holy by millions of Hindus across the world, the water from River Ganga is much sought after, in spite of alarming levels of pollution associated with it. The river is not only a vast dumping ground for industrial and human wastes but in some parts the remains of the dead are also submerged in it after the last rites. A team of scientists is working in Varanasi, one of the holiest cities for Hindus, to find out the exact levels of pollution, which they intend to make public soon.

  Millions of Hindus undertake pilgrimages to holy sites to bring back months' supply of the water from the river. Life has been made infinitely simpler for these believers by the Indian government, as holiness can now be purchased from local post offices, packaged hygienically, for a pittance.

A limited number of bottles of 'pure Ganga jal' was dispatched to over 800 post offices across the country to cater to what Prasad called the "cultural needs" of the people. But his government seemed to have misjudged the demand for this sacred potion, believed to be a panacea for most evils.

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India Post to approach RBI for interoperability of ATMs.

  NEW DELHI: Department of Post (DoP) will soon approach Reserve Bank for interoperability of its ATMs with commercial banks as it looks to roll out 10,000 ATMs across the country by the end of this year. A DoP official told PTI that Communications and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has asked the department to take the proposal to RBI on priority basis as it will help in popularising banking in rural areas. 

he official added that India Post will be rolling out 10,000 ATMs and 20,000 micro ATMs across the country by the end of this year. Interoperability of postal ATMs will help people to withdraw money from their bank accounts also. Currently, such ATMs can be used if people have an account in DoP. 

The government wants to leverage the vast network of India Post for implementing the mandate of financial inclusion and it has received renewed momentum from the Budget recommendations. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has announced in his Budget speech for 2016-17 that to provide better access to financial services, especially in rural areas, the government will undertake a massive nationwide rollout of ATMs and micro ATMs in post offices over the next three years. DoP has already announced plans to open 1,000 ATMs by March. 

India Post has more than 576 ATMs across the country and has also overtaken the State Bank of India to become India's largest core banking network having 18,231 branches. 

By March, all the 25,000 departmental post offices would offer anywhere banking facilities using core banking solutions. As on February, India Post has issued 1,26,181 ATM/debit cards to its account holders. 

The Public Investment Board has already approved the Rs 800-crore proposal from India Post for setting up a payments bank. PIB, under the Finance Ministry, vets the investment proposals by state-run entities. 

The department is also in the process of finalising selection of a consultant for setting up of the India Post payments bank. India Post payments bank will primarily target unbanked and under-banked customers in rural, semi-rural and remote areas, with a focus on providing simple deposit products and money remittance services. 

The pilot for the payments bank is set to start from January and the full-fledged operations may start by March 2017. As many as 40 international financial conglomerates including World Bank and Barclays have shown interest to partner the postal department for setting up the bank. 

Reserve Bank has granted payments bank permit to the department, which is already into providing financial services and has 1.55 lakh branches across the country. 

INSTRUCTIONS ON ATMs TO HEAD OFFICES.

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Clarification by Circle Office On CBS Issues.

C B S Finacle Work Flow Process with B O Transactions - 5th Edition ( 12.02.2016).

 C B S Finacle Work Flow Process with B O Transactions - 5th Edition ( 12.02.2016) - Prepared by CBS CPC, Odisha Circle



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Courtesy:-http://pofinacleguide.blogspot.in
CPC Odisha Circle.

‘IndiaPost’s core banking system beats SBI in size’

   MUMBAI: The department of posts now has a core banking system that is bigger than that of SBI, Union IT and communications minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has said. The minister's statement comes at a time when IndiaPost is in the process of launching a payments bank. Infosys had bagged a multi-year Rs 700-crore deal from the department to implement its core banking solution Finacle connecting 1.5 lakh post offices with 20 crore customer accounts in 2012.

  Until now, SBI's core banking system implemented by TCS was the largest in the country and also the largest centralized core system implementation ever undertaken. The bank has 16,498 branches and 57,986 ATMs.

However, even this large network pales in comparison to IndiaPost's network. While the post office has a larger network, the accounts are more in the nature of savings and SBI's core system is much more complex as it handles millions of transactions every day. The bank has also built a data warehousing and analytics layer over the core banking platform whereas IndiaPost has completed the first leg of networking.Speaking at a special session at the Make in India week, Prasad said that the department would soon launch a payments bank. The minister said that around 60 domestic and international entities had evinced interest in partnering with the department. Prasad launched a 'fund-of-funds' aimed at helping startups from the electronics and IT sector create intellectual property. The government would invest up to Rs 2,200 crore in the initiative which would be in the form of a public-private partnership. The Electronic Development Fund is floated by the Department of Electronics and Information Technology.

Courtesy:-http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/

Pineapple -- India Post Finacle Guide by POUpdates

Hello and welcome from PO Updates. Its time to say goodbye to all your finacle problems. Pineapple has come to your rescue. PINEAPPLE is a comprehensive step by step guide for all transactions in India Post finacle. We have created this book so that you can use it while doing your daily transactions. All procedures are up to date. We have also included a section of common issues and solutions which you will find extremely useful. If you have any suggestions and/or if you find any mistakes in the book do contact us. We will rectify them in our future editions. Wish you good luck.

Click Here to download the book.

Download the book and take a print out. The book contains 126 pages. We have optimized the book for back to back printing. So if possible take back to back printouts.

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India Post to invest Rs 322 crore to augment parcel capacity.

  NEW DELHI: In a bid to strengthen its position in the e-commerce market, India Post has proposed to invest Rs 322 crore till 2019-20 to augment parcel handling capacity through which it projects to earn a revenue of Rs 1,608 crore. 

An official in the Department of Post told PTI that with the current pace of growth in e-commerce segment, India Post would be handling 40 lakh parcels per month in the near future and the capacity needs to be augmented accordingly. 

"The Department is proposing to invest Rs 322 crore in the period from 2015-2016 to 2019-20 to augment and develop parcel handling capacities," the official said. He said India Post centres would be equipped with modern handling devices, conveyor belt and security systems to ensure faster and safe processing. He added volumetric measurement system will also be introduced to ensure revenue based on volume of the consignment having lesser weight but occupying larger space in trans-shipment.  "With the proposed investments, the revenue projections from e-commerce in all segments is Rs 1,608 crore in five years," he said. 

  In order to cater to the parcel business, the department proposes to set up automated mail processing centres at Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad with mixed mail sorter and parcel sorter at each location. The official further said the department is implementing a global positioning system (GPS) in its departmental mail motor vehicles in all the major centres. The IT modernisation project for India Post is under implementation which would result in electronically connected urban and rural network.  "It would allow increased consistency and reliability in mail, parcels and logistics delivery system in line with global standards," he said.  The department has also initiated a project for parcel network optimisation for developing a comprehensive business and marketing plan based on current trends in the e-commerce market. 

  In e-commerce space, India Post is serving more than 400 small- and medium-level customers spread all across the country including all major players like Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, Snapdeal, Paytm, Shopclues, Yepme, Naaptol, Telebrands and Homeshop18, among others. 

courtesy:-http://economictimes.indiatimes.com

DNS Flushing technique to boost up DOP Finacle speed

What does DNS flushing do?

Whenever you type a URL on the adress bar it fetches the corresponding IP address to communicate with web server (it might be any kind of server). When you repeatedly use a same URL its just a waste of network resource to fetch corresponding IP address every time because IP don't change too often. 

So your computer stores the combinations of domain name and its IP in local cache to avoid fetching from Domain name System(DNS) every time you use same domain name(URL). 

It also holds another crucial info called "Timeout" which says about the valid time for the IP and domain name combination, when this time times out your computer re-fetches the combination from DNS and stores in local cache again. 

DNS flushing is the mechanism where the user can manually make all the entries in the cache invalid, so your computer re-fetches new combinations by now on whenever it needs and stores in local 

Enough theory, let us do some practical 

• First click Windows+R keys in your key board.(Ref the image given below) 

Type the following command and press Enter: 

ipconfig /flushdns 

If the command was successful, you will see the following message: 

Now start a new session in Finacle and see the magic.It will be faster than previous session. This technique is useful in afternoon when the Finacle shows sluggish behavior.

Courtesy:dopfinacle.blospot.in

India Post Bank to open doors in March 2017 with Infosys Finacle.

   India Post Bank has been given the go-ahead to start processing payments in 2017 following a number of lengthily delays.

The post office’s financial services are seen as a viable provider for India’s rural population, of which a majority do not have access to banking.

230 million Indians, however, do hold savings accounts with the Post Office, which has 139,144 locations across rural areas of the country.

Ravi Shankar Prasad, union minister for communications and IT, announced that a March 2017 start date had been fixed for the banking arm to begin processing. He also noted Deutsche Bank and the World Bank had expressed interest in partnerships.

Waiting times

India Post has been waiting a long time for the green light to set up its own bank. It originally planned to start offering services in March 2014 as part of an enterprise-wide transformation fuelled by Infosys’ Finacle core system.

Finacle was selected by the company following a process that began in 2010 and was charged with turning post offices across India into ‘mini banks’ catering to an average of 7,000 customers each.

The project, which cost around $125.3 million, had an initial completion date of July 2014.

Stumbling blocks

India Post encountered a number of stumbling blocks, however, most notably when the country’s finance ministry opposed the banking services plan in February 2014, claiming the company did not have the necessary expertise to become a bank proper.

Ageing data – with some tables up to 100 years old – and a worry about Post Bank customers and tellers being confused with the modern Finacle system were among other pressing concerns.

The Reserve Bank of India has since brought about the reversal of the finance ministry’s decision and come out in favour of the plans.

Pilot plans

India Post has already run a number of pilot projects in Assam, Uttar, Pradesh and Maharashtra to test the capabilities of its new system.

With 41% of India’s population not using banking services, it is hoped that the 2017 go-live will encourage financial inclusion across the country.

IndiaPost serves notice to Birla MF over radio ad.

MUMBAI: The Department of Posts served a notice this week to Aditya Birla Group and Big FM Radio Channel over a radio advertisement for Birla Sun Life Mutual Funds. The department has demanded an apology and wants the advertisement - which it claims disparages 'registered post' and 'speed post' services - to be taken off air.

The Hindi radio ad in question begins with a boss asking an employee to urgently send a mail. The employee responds by asking whether he should choose 'registered post' or 'speed post'. The voice on the radio goes on to describe the services as 'sust' (lethargic) methods which do not help in reaching your destination in time. It then goads listeners to choose mutual funds which are effective investment tools. Although the intention of the advertisement appears to be aimed at comparing electronic mail with physical mail, it does not expressly say so. Also, the description of 'registered post' and 'speed post' as lethargic has rankled the department.

According to sources, The department is upset because it feels that the ad perpetuates a misconception about 'registered post' and 'speed post' services, which have been audited by the CAG and certified to be superior to private courier services. When queried about the notice, P N Ranjit Kumar, postmaster general (Mumbai), said, "Department of Posts will not take kindly to attempts to malign its products and we will do whatever is required to protect the value of its brands."

The advertisement comes at a time when IndiaPost is seeking to revise its profile as an efficient logistics and financial services provider. The department is one of the recipients of an in-principle approval for a payments bank licence. Incidentally, the Aditya Birla Group has also received an in-principle approval for a payments bank from the Reserve Bank of India.

Highlights of the 7th CPC for Department of Posts Employees :

Postal Services Board :

The Commission has examined the demand for granting apex level to the members of the PSB and is of the view that adequate functional justification for the same does not exist. ( Para 11.8.11)

The Commission however is no t in favour of creating an additional post of member to discharge the financial function and is of the view that the portfolios of the six members can be so re-arranged that the need to create a new post of Member is obviated. ( Para 11.8.12)

IPS (Group – A):

In so far as Director, National Postal Academy is concerned, the view taken is that functional justification from upgrading the post to Apex level does not exist. As far as the rest of the demands for upgradation / creation of posts are concerned, these are administrative matters, which may be taken up with the concerned departments in the government. ( Para 11.8.15)

Postmaster Cadre :

The Commission recommends that while 25 percent of the posts of Senior Post Master may continue to be filled up from Post Master Gr.III through seniority based promotions, eligible officers from the Post Masters’ cadre (Postmaster Gr.II and Postmaster Gr.III) may also be permitted to appear for LDCE along with Inspector (Posts) for the balance 75 percent of the Senior Postmasters’ posts ( Para 11.8.18)

Inspector Cadre :

The Commission, therefore, recommends that Inspector (Posts) who are presently in the GP 4200 should be upgraded to GP 4600. With this upgradation, Inspector (Posts) shall come to lie in an identical grade pay as that of their promotion post of Assistant Superintendent of Posts (ASPOs). A higher grade would thus need to be extended to ASPOs. Accordingly, the Commission recommends that the promotional post of ASPOs be placed in the next higher GP 4800 and further, the post of Superintendent (Posts), which is presently in the GP 4800, be moved up to GP 5400 (PB-2). ( Para 11.8.21)

Postal Assistants / Sorting Assistants / LSG / HSG-II / HSG-I:

The Commission is of the view that there is no justification for enhancement of minimum educational qualifications for Direct Recruits for Postal Assistants/Sorting Assistants from Class XII to Graduation and the entry grade pay from GP 2400 to GP 2800. No justification for upgrading LSG, HSG-II & HSG-I (Para 11.8.23 & 11.8.24)

P A ( SBCO) :

The Commission is therefore of the view that no upgradation is warranted. As regards grant of cash handling allowance, the Commission is of the view that with the spread of banking and internet based payments coming into vogue there is no merit in granting an allowance for handling cash. ( Para 11.8.27).

Postman :

The Commission has noted the entry level qualifications prescribed (Class X or ITI for MTS) as also the work content, and is of the view that there is no justification for further raising the entry grade pay of Postman. ( Para 11.8.29)

Mail Guard :

As no modification in the grade pay of Postman is recommended, the Mail Guard shall also be placed in same pay level. ( Para 11.8.33)

Multi Tasking Staff :

No upgrade is considered necessary for either MTS-domestic or MTS-foreign posts. ( Para 11.8.37)

Binders :

There is no justification for raising the entry grade pay as sought. ( Para 11.8.39)

Artisans :

The Commission is of the view that no anomaly exists in the present pay structure of these posts. The cadre of artisans in the Department of Posts shall accordingly be extended only the corresponding replacement level of pay. ( Para 11.8.43)

Translation Officer :

The Commission, therefore, suggests that a comparative study of the job profiles be carried out by the department to arrive at the precise job content and a view taken thereafter. ( Para 11.8.45)

Technical Supervisors :

No upgrade is recommended. (11.8.47)

Gramin Dak Sewaks:

The Commission has carefully considered the demand and noted the following:

a. GDS are Extra-Departmental Agents recruited by Department of Posts to serve in rural areas.

b. As per the RRs, the minimum educational qualification for recruitment to this post is Class X.

c. GDS are required to beon duty only for 4-5 hours a day under the terms and conditions of their service.

d. The GDS are remunerated with Time Related Continuity Allowance (TRCA) on the pattern of pay scales for regular government employees, plus DA on pro-rata basis.

e. A GDS must have other means of income independent of his remuneration as a GDS, to sustain himself and his

Government of India has so far held that the GDS is outside the Civil Service of the Union and shall not claim to be at par with the Central Government employees. The Supreme Court judgment also states that GDS are only holders of civil posts but not civilian employees.

The Commission endorses this view and therefore has no recommendation with regard to GDS. ( Para 11.8.49 & 11.8.50)

Separate Cadre for S As / M Es :

System Administrators and Marketing Executives have demanded creation of separate cadres with higher pay scales. Presently incumbents of these posts are drawn from the cadre of Postal Assistants/Sorting Assistant Cadre.

The V and the VI CPC have also dealt with this issue and have not recommended separation of cadres. The Commission also does not see any rationale for creating separate cadres. (Para 11.8.51 & 11.8.52)

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