India Post : The Other Name of Trustworthiness

Bruhaspati Samal

Postmaster, Sahidnagar MDG

  Bhubaneswar - 751 007

Every month, the man comes to me with a complaint regarding non-payment of eMO sent by him from Sahidnagar MDG to a village in Gopalganaj, Bihar. After thorough checking in the system, I give him the usual reply on every occasion. With a smile, he just asks me, “Sir, already one month is over, will it be certainly paid?” I strongly reply, “Why not? Sure. Please wait”. After few days, he again arrives and gently asks, “Sir, the eMO has not yet been paid”. I obtain the details from him, register a complaint in the WebCCC with a guarantee from my side that this time it must be paid.

He leaves the office with a smile and again after few days he attends me and repeats the same as above. Immediately, I register a ticket in the Service desk with request for immediate solution. The reply of the service desk serves no purpose. I try to connect the telephone number of the concerned post office and receive the auto-generated voice “This telephone number is temporarily out order” Being worried, I tried to repeat raising of tickets, expediting reply in WebCCC, tell the man to contact his village Post Office and somehow or other, the eMO is paid after undue delay.

 This is happening almost every month. I have witnessed that once the eMO sent by him for Rs.2000/- when her wife was in dire need of money for medical treatment was paid after 3 months. Still the man is coming to the Post Office regularly and remitting Rs.1000/- or Rs.2000/- every month to his wife in addition to sending of letters and parcels to his kith and kin.

Today (14.08.2019), he once again met me with two complaints, one for eMO sent since 05.08.2019 and another for a Speed Post article sent since 06.08.2019. When I go for checking in SAP, I find the connectivity to be slow. Before the system is ready to login, out of curiosity, I just asked him, “Every month you are witnessing delayed payment. Even during the medical treatment of your wife, she did not get the money in time. Nevertheless, you are remitting every month through Post Office. What does prompt you to rely on the Department of Post?

What the gentleman replied prompted me to write this article. It was not his reply. As if he is giving a beautiful speech before me on this largest postal network which he has experienced for last 40 years.

Replying me in half-Odia and half Hindi, he told “Sir, My name is Narsingh Sharma and now I am 60. Forty years back, I left my village Amwanakchhed in Bihar at the age of 20 and came to Bhubaneswar in search of work. By birth, I am a carpenter and started carpentry work here @ Rs.5/- per day residing here in Shantipalli Basti. Since then, when there was no other means of sending money, letter and parcels to my family at my native village, I have been relying on your post office. At times, I have experienced, delay in delivery and payment. But my money, letters and parcels have reached safely. I have every confidence that the Post office will never breach my trust and till date I trust the Department of Post the most”.

I asked, ‘If you have a Post Office Savings Pass Book in your name and in the name of your family members?”

He said, “No. But I have also a Bank Account and ATM card. The Bankbabu has told me to handover the ATM card to my wife and give her the Pass Word. When I will deposit money here in Bhubaneswar, she can be able to withdraw money through the nearest ATM. But I have not handed over her the ATM card so far to my wife.

I asked,  “Why? This is a very easy process to get the money without any delay. You should prefer it.”

Rejecting my proposal straightway, he told, “My wife is illiterate and not able to operate ATM card. Besides, there is no ATM in my village. But the Dakia goes to my wife personally and hand over the money. My wife feels as if I give him. The letters I send to my wife not only carry my messages only but my love and emotions for her Sir. Will the Bank do it Sir? Is there any human touch in other mode of service except Dak?”

I told him, “The world is changing and so also India Post. We are also giving ATM cards which are linked with all banks. Will you prefer to open a Post Office Savings Bank Account in my office and take the ATM Card through which your wife can withdraw money from the local Postal ATM there? He suddenly say, “Yes”. I asked when you are not interested for Bank ATM, why do you prefer Postal ATM. Without any second thought, he simply replied, I have every faith on my local Dakbabu and Dak Khana. They are serving my family for last 40 years since I am in Bhubaneswar. Their trustworthiness is enough for me”.

In spite of my trial for about 30 minutes, I failed to login. From his side, he said, “Don’t worry Sir. Tomorrow is holiday for Rakhi Poornima and Independence Day. I will come on Friday again to know the status.”

I just looked at his face and find no sign of discontent. Giving a beautiful smile, he left my chamber. I became thoughtful for a while. When I’m witnessing the arguments and counter arguments of many people for silly matters during the business hours regularly, customers of this category remind us the importance of my Department. Even if people are suffering for the time being due to the transitional period of India Post when going manual to digital, people still have confidence on its reliability, trustworthiness and service to the entire mankind with a human touch which makes my Department different from all others.

Proud to be an employee of this largest postal network of the world.