Monday 29 April 2019

Factbox: How the UPU develops postal strategy

29.04.2019 - With over 668,000 post offices, 5.3 million staff and physical infrastructure covering 192 countries, the postal sector represents one of the largest physical networks in the world. As a specialized agency of the United Nations System, the UPU plays a unique role in enabling and enhancing the socio-economic benefits of postal services.

However, the changing postal environment and the emergence of new commercial challenges call for a sound postal strategy with specific objectives and solutions tailored to the problems facing postal operators. Strategic planning helps the international postal network meet these new challenges and bring its operating methods in line with changes to the network.
The UPU develops a World Postal Strategy every four years not only to guide its future actions, but also to make sure that it continues providing benefit to its member countries.
To create such strategies, the UPU analyzes the risks and opportunities faced by different stakeholders and its role in supporting them going forward. It also considers the global and regional trends affecting the postal sector.
In addition to the studies and key summaries from major postal and economic events, the UPU also gathers input for its future postal strategy through comprehensive consultation with all its key stakeholders. The UPU takes an integrated approach, seeking feedback from member country governments, regulators and designated operators, as well as from additional stakeholders (such as retailers and other organizations from the UN family).
The UPU’s postal strategy is inspired by its mission and the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

UPU Director General calls for transformation and innovation in future postal strategy

29.04.2019 - The UPU Regional Strategy Forum for Asia-Pacific was held in Bangkok, Thailand, leading to recommendations on transforming the postal landscape to respond to changing market realities.

At the same time, governments were urged to increase investment in their national postal organization to enable them contribute effectively in their respective countries economic development.
In his opening speech of the forum, the Director General of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) Bishar A. Hussein acknowledged that the postal sector was faced with unprecedented need for change in order to cope with dynamics of digital transformation worldwide.
He said, to mitigate the numerous risk and take advantages of opportunities of the current and future business needs, it was important for the UPU and the global postal sector to have a robust vision and strategy.   
“The UPU’s strategy for the 2021-2024 cycle, ‘the Abidjan Postal Strategy,’ will be approved by the Abidjan Congress next year. In order to develop this roadmap, considerable effort is being made by member countries with the support of the International Bureau to align the strategy with the contemporary trends in the postal sector,” he told the high profile audience. 
Mr Hussein stressed that, if the strategy was to fulfill its promise and inspire the sector as a whole, there were four key action areas. First, governments needed to bridge the gaps in postal development through increased investments, focused policies and leverage of the postal network for socio-economic development.   
Second, said Mr Hussein, postal regulators needed to harmonize the sector’s regulatory framework and promote innovation, diversification and investment in the postal sector. Third, he called on postal operators to implement new diversified strategies and to entertain operational improvements.
Finally, Mr Hussein invited the private sector and private institutions to integrate with the sector and engage with traditional stakeholders. The UPU Director General said, “We now have many players doing what was in the past considered an exclusive postal business. We need to be more innovative to compete in this field.”
As part of these industry-wide developments, he said the UPU would align its activities to enable the sector’s stakeholders to achieve the goals set in the new strategy. He said the vision called Postal Vision 2030 has been developed to form the basis for the UPU’s strategy from 2021-2024.
Touching upon the debate about remuneration rates, Mr Hussein noted it had revealed a glaring need for the sector to make faster decisions, adding that the discussion on the subject signified symptoms of a far greater problem that the Union needed to address. 
Towards the end of his remarks, the Director General reiterated the need for governments to take their role seriously in addressing the multilateral aspects of the UPU, and to assist in its sequencing with modern businesses. Mr Hussein affirmed that this repositioning was essential for sustaining the global postal network that the UPU had maintained for 145 years.
“UPU is still very relevant to the postal sector, but we need to reform it further and make it more flexible to address other emerging business matters. Most important, we must ensure postal services continue to play key developmental roles in our respective countries,” he said.
The UPU Regional Strategy Forum for Asia-Pacific is the first of a series of six regional forums organized in 2019 as part of the development of the UPU’s strategy for the next four-year cycle. During the two-day conference, participants discussed regional perspectives on the international postal sector, including the roles of governments and regulators.
Attended by Mr Pansak Siriruchtapong, Vice Minister for the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society of Thailand, Mr Hongliang Lin, Secretary General of Asian-Pacific Postal Union, the event brought together representatives of the Asia-Pacific postal sector, as well as many other stakeholders to discuss the UPU’s roadmap for the future.

Statement of the Director General on the 145th Anniversary of the Universal Postal Union

25.04.2019 - The Universal Postal Union’s 145th Anniversary is a cause for celebration across the international postal sector, but also an opportunity to pause, to reflect and to appreciate the organization’s achievements in the 21st Century.

Certainly, the representatives of the 22 countries who founded the organization in Berne, Switzerland, could not have foreseen the UPU’s immense impact on the postal sector. The UPU is a byword for postal innovation and creativity, and our influence on the postal sector is acknowledged throughout the world.
In the last 145 years, we have seen many transformations, but the breakneck pace of today’s change is such that postal operators are redefining their role within the new digital economy and the e-commerce world.
We are helping in these efforts through numerous projects and programmes that help both developed and developing countries.
Against this background, the theme we have chosen for our 145th anniversary year, which best exemplifies our commitment to our member countries and postal operators, is “delivering development.” This phrase captures our ceaseless search to find new and innovative ways to deliver value to the international postal network. 
Delivering development was also chosen because the phrase reinforces the UPU’s role and relevance; and it highlights the close links between the UPU and the wider UN family, including global efforts to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.   
In the coming months, we will hold celebrations culminating on 9th October when we will gather at our headquarters in Berne for our anniversary on World Post Day. I hope you will join us in these celebrations not just of the Universal Postal Union, but also the universal service obligation delivering one network, one world.

Sunday 28 April 2019

Notification for conducting LDCE for promotion to the cadre of Inspector Posts for the period 01.04.2016 to 31.12.2018.

Calling For Willingnes to work in Directorate on Deputation/attachment basis

Re-organisation of BD&M Directorate, Parcel Directorate and Mail Business Division of Postal Directorate

CALENDAR OF DEPARTMENTAL & DR EXAMINATIONS

  

ONLINE GENERATION AND RECORDING OF APAR ON SPARROW OF GR.'A', 'B' AND 'C' OFFICERS - EXTENSION OF TIMELINES FOR COMPLETION OF APAR ONLINE FOR THE YEAR 2018-19





RECOGNITION OF AIPSBCOEA RESTORED

Earlier due to a false case filed in Calcutta High Court based on misleading facts by a rival union which could not get recognition, the recognition of AIPSBCOEA was withdrawn temporarily.


         Now after consistent fight of AIPSBCOEA and NFPE, the recognition has been restored by Department of Posts, vide Directorate letter No.16/75/2010-SR dated 25.04.2019 (Letter is published below:-



Tuesday 23 April 2019

MUSIC & DANCE COMPETITION FOR WARDS OF CENTRAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES


Implementation of approved recommendations of Kamlesh Chandra Committee on disciplinary aspects specified in Rule 9 (Minor and Major penalties of GDS Conduct and Engagement; Rules for all categories of Gramin Dak Sevaks (GDS).


No.17-31/2016-GDS
Government of India
Ministry of Communications
Department of Posts
(GDS Section)
Dak Bhawan, Sansad Marg
New Delhi
Dated 23.04.2019


Subject: Implementation of approved recommendations of Kamlesh Chandra Committee on disciplinary aspects specified in Rule 9 (Minor and Major penalties of GDS Conduct and Engagement; Rules for all categories of Gramin Dak Sevaks (GDS).

The undersigned is directed to refer to letter No. 17-391212012 GDS dated 14th January, 2015 regarding Minor and Major penalties specified in Rule 9 of GDS (Conduct and Engagement Rules, 2011.

 2.        After taking into consideration the approved recommendation of Kamlesh Chandra Committee on disciplinary aspects Minor and Major Penalties; of Gramin Dak Sevaks and in supersession of all previous orders regarding minor and major penalties of Gramin Dak Sevaks, the Competent Authority has approved the following substitution in the Minor and Major penalties in Rule -9 of GDS Conduct and Engagement; Rules, 2011 for all categories of Gramin Dak Sevaks (GDS):-

9.  Nature of Penalties

"The following penalties may, for good and sufficient reasons and as hereinafter provided, to be imposed by the Recruiting Authority namely:-

Minor Penalties

(i)             Censure
(ii)          Debarring of a Sevak from appearing in the recruitment examination for the post of Multi Tasking Staff and /or Postman and / or Mail Guard and./or from being considered for recruitment as Postal Assistant / Sorting Assistant for a period not exceeding three years

(iii)          Debarring of a Sevak from being considered for recruitment to Multi Tasking Staff on the basis of selection-cum-seniority for a period not exceeding three years

(iv)         Recovery from Time Related Continuity Allowance (TRCA) of the whole or part of any pecuniary loss caused to the Government by negligence or breach of orders

(v)          Withholding of annual increase in Time Related Continuity Allowance (TRCA)
without cumulative effect for a period not exceeding three years ;

Major Penalties

(vi)          Reduction to a lower stage in the TRCA slab for a specified period exceeding three years (not in nature of permanent measure) with further directions as to whether or not the Sevak will earn annual increase during the period of reduction and whether on expiry of such period, the reduction will or will not have the effect of postponing the future increases of his / her Time Related Continuity Allowance (TRCA).

(vii)        Compulsory Discharge from engagement with monetary benefits (i.e. SDBS etc.) and GDS Gratuity proportionate to engagement period rendered by GDS, as per conditions laid down in DG Posts' O.M. No L7-31.12016-GDS dated 27th June, 2018.

(viii)      Removal from engagement which shall not be a disqualification for future engagement

(ix)         Dismissal from engagement, which shall ordinarily be a disqualification for future          engagement.

Note: The Penalty of recovery under Rule 9 (iv) can be imposed fully without  any restriction."

3. The above instructions will come into effect from the date of issue of this O.M. 4. Hindi version will follow.
                                                                                                                   Sd/-
(SB Vyavahare)
Assistant Director General (GDS/PCC)
Tele: No. 011-23096629

INCOME TAX (3rd AMENDMENT) RULES, 2019 IN FORM NO.16


CLICK HERE  FOR GAZETTE NOTIFICATION AND FORMS

GRANTING OF GRADE PAY OF RS.5400 IN PAY BAND -2 (LEVEL 9 IN PAY MATRIX) ON COMPLETION OF FOUR YEARS SERVICE IN THE GRADE PAY RS.4800 (LEVEL 8 IN PAY MATRIX) TO ASPS ON ON FUNCTIONAL BASIS - DOP ORDER


Com. N. Gopalkrishnan, Ex-Working President, AIPEU Group C (CHQ) expired

Com. N. Gopalkrishnan, Ex-Working President, AIPEU Group C (CHQ) expired on 22nd April 2019 at Chennai.

We on behalf of AIPEU, Group-C, Odisha  convey our heartfelt Condolences to the bereaved family members and Comrades. 

We pay respect full homage to Com. N.G. and dip our banner in respect of him.

Let the divine soul rest in eternal peace.

Wednesday 17 April 2019

Considering transfer under Rule 38 against vacancies reported for filling through Direct recruitment examination conducted by Staff Selection Commission

Cabinet apprised about MoU between India and Republic of Korea in issuing jointly Postage Stamp

Ministry of Communications

Cabinet apprised about MoU between India and Republic of Korea in issuing jointly Postage Stamp

Posted On: 15 APR 2019 12:35PM by PIB Delhi
The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, was apprised about an MoU signed in February, 2019 between India and Republic of Korea.
Department of Posts, Ministry of Communications, Government of India and The Ministry of Science and ICT (Korea Post), Government of the Republic of Korea have mutually agreed to jointly issue Postage Stamps on the theme "Queen Hur Hwang-ok of Korea".
The joint stamps will be released on a mutually agreed date by the end of 2019.

Happy Mahavir Jayanti


Extension of validity period of empanellment of already empanelled Health Care Organiations under CGHS


Giving effect to the jugement(s) / order(s) of Hon'ble Supreme Court on Aadhaar-PAN for filing return of income


Amendments in General Financial Rules, 2017


COMPENSATION FOR NON-DEPOSIT OR DELAYED DEPOSIT OF CONTRIBUTION UNDER NATIONAL PENSION SYSTEM DURING 2004-12

PREMATURE CLOSURE OF RD/TD/MIS ACCOUNTS


NATIONAL COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON 13-04-2019 DISCUSSION ON IMPORTANT POINTS



Sunday 14 April 2019

No further RJCM Meeting until recognition of Unions / Associations currently held up


Happy MahaVishuba Sankranti, Odia New Year and Baisakhi

Transparency audit of Suo Moto disclosure package of Department of Posts under Section 4 of the RTI Act,2005-Reg



UPU News : Stakeholders weigh in on remuneration

10.04.2019 - A first of its kind UPU conference called for broad consultation from stakeholders on improving the systems used to remunerate international postal exchanges.

The conference, titled “UPU Remuneration Systems – New Frontiers for an Old World?”, was held April 9 under the auspices of the UPU’s Council of Administration, which is meeting at the organization’s Berne, Switzerland, headquarters this week.
Opening the conference, UPU Director General Bishar A. Hussein called attention to the new format of the event, which opened the discussion on remuneration systems beyond the Union’s most direct stakeholders, bringing together speakers from commercial organizations, consulting groups and academia in addition to participants from UPU’s member countries and their designated postal operators.
“Today’s conference on postal regulation addresses the challenges facing postal remuneration, and the principles that member country governments should take into account in shaping the Integrated Remuneration System for the 2020 Abidjan Congress,” the Director General commented, stressing the importance of the discussions to the Union’s future.

Public service

The conferences first panel had participants discuss striking a balance between providing universal access and maintaining its position in the competitive cross-border delivery market.
Analysis Mason Partner, Ian Streule, started by highlighting the UPU’s role in ensuring universal access to postal services in developing countries, filling what he called the “access gap”.
Walter Trezek, Chairman of the UPU’s Consultative Committee and representative of Ecommerce Europe, pointed out that the postal network as it exists was designed for letter delivery, not for the wave of commercial items seen in today’s mail stream, which have placed increasing regulatory challenges on postal operators and e-commerce stakeholders. He said the UPU had a role to play in harmonizing regulations so that Posts can stay competitive in the market while bringing online and offline channels together.
On compensation, postal consultant Jim Campbell urged UPU members to consider gaps in the current system allowing for imbalances between rates for domestic customers and those for foreign senders.
Rounding off the first panel, China State Post Bureau Senior Policy Advisor Gu Chunhui noted that its universal service obligation means that the Post is sometimes the only access point for consumers in remote areas. She emphasized the importance of taking non-discriminatory measures in the development of the future solution to protect these vulnerable citizens. 

Customer first

The second session had panellists examine market drivers in the cross-border market, taking into consideration the postal network’s role in facilitating international trade.
Panellists drew together some common threads, focusing on the importance of customer experience.
“If postal organizations could operate seamlessly with an appropriate remuneration structure they would be a formidable force,” said Brody Buhler, Global Managing Director of Accenture’s Post and Parcel Industry Group.
Alex Dieke, Director Wissenschaftliches Institut für Infrastruktur und Kommunikationsdienste GmbH (WIK), a German consultancy firm, warned that in discussing the remuneration system as a “winners and losers game”, the postal sector has lost sight of the main stakeholder of the system: consumers. He suggested that the future solution focus on offering funds for investments needed to improve quality of service levels to ensure that there is a “level playing field” across the network.
Cullen International Director of Client Services, Peter Dunn, also advised UPU members to be wary of focusing on cost orientation in policy-making, noting that operators need to focus more on delivering value to consumers. 
Should members decide to move toward self-declared rates, Copenhagen Economics’ Head of Competition and Dispute Support Services, Henrik Ballebye Okholm, suggested that the UPU transition gradually. He also stressed the importance of the multilateral frameworks provided by the UPU, thus avoiding a “spaghetti bowl” of bilateral rules needed to enable international mail exchanges.

Moving ahead

The conference’s final panel focused on the way forward for reshaping the UPU’s remuneration systems, recommending that members consider the need to focus on compromise, creating a level playing field across the network and balancing price with service quality.
Postal Innovation Platform Manager, Bernard Bukovc, commented that while the current system of remuneration was not optimal, disparities in each country’s regulatory environment pose challenges to developing a totally new system.
“Let’s focus on an evolution of the system because everything else would be a risk to the business,” he said.
Asendia CEO Marc Pontet, who said that the UPU and its members should communicate a clear and concise vision for remuneration over that time, also advised a transition over 4 or 5 years’ time.
“Customers can adapt to price changes if they are notified in advance,” said Mr Pontet.
Brazilian Post Inbound Manager, Nailton Alves de Oliveira, supported the idea of considering investments to quality of service when considering the future remuneration structure.
“It is necessary to rethink the relationship we have with our customers – this relationship cannot only be based on price,” he added.
Finally, Jack Hamande, Executive Board Member of the Belgian Institute for Postal Services Telecommunications, and co-chair of the Council of Administration committee responsible for remuneration governance issues, said the half-day conference’s discussions left him optimistic that the Union would find a solution.
“I think there is a real willingness here to review the remuneration system in depth for the future,” Mr Hamande added.
UPU Deputy Director General Pascal Clivaz echoed this optimism in his closing remarks, adding that the conference “undoubtedly provided a platform for sharing this information, and for establishing collaborative relationships, that will strengthen the role of the UPU and its stakeholders” as members move toward a decision on the future of the UPU’s remuneration systems.
“The UPU is you and nobody else but you. You will decide the way forward for terminal dues,” he said.

Circle Level Result Of Dhai Akhar Letter Writing Campaign


Click Here to view the result of all Circles


AIPEU, Group-C, Odisha Circle congratulates all the winners.

Winners Names Of Stamp Design Competition On "Ahimsa Parmo Dharma"

Click Here to view

AIPEU, Group-C, Odisha congratulates all the winners.

Blockchain has the power to improve financial inclusion, says UPU head

08.04.2019 - UPU Director General Bishar A. Hussein touted the power of blockchain technologies during a special forum on “Shaping postal financial services in a digital economy” held at the UN specialized agency’s Berne, Switzerland, headquarters.

“Blockchain is gathering momentum and has the potential to address financial inclusion issues, and improve cybersecurity and digital identity. Indeed, it has the tremendous potential to “democratize” financial services,” said Mr Hussein.
According to the World Bank, two-thirds of the 1.7 billion unbanked adults worldwide have access to mobile phones, making mobile payment services facilitated by blockchain a key opportunity for Posts, some, which the Director General noted, have been in the financial services industry for more than 100 years.
Keynote speaker and FutureLab Consulting Managing Partner Moses Ma focused on strategic imperatives in the midst of the blockchain revolution, encouraging Posts to leapfrog their blockchain development to become partners in solving the “last mile problem” – reaching those without access to financial or digital services.
“Posts are the last mile to the unbanked and people without identification, so this is an opportunity to complete the digital revolution,” said Mr Ma. “If you give postmen a mobile phone we can start implementing some of these initiatives right away,” he added.

The future of finance

The forum’s first panel session focused on the next generation of financial services.
Arnold Kibuuka, a project officer with the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), stressed the importance of maintaining trust and a high-level of security when implementing new financial services technologies such as blockchain and cryptocurrencies.
Nagib Aouni, a digital identity and blockchain adviser to start-ups, agreed that blockchain could be a boon for the transparency, efficiency and security of postal financial services. However, he noted that blockchain is not yet standardized, which should be a priority to ensure global interoperability.
Finally, Eurogiro/Inpay Vice-President Dame Damevski highlighted the Post’s role as a trusted intermediary for providing a number of public services as an advantage, encouraging operators to develop a postal blockchain application that could connect customers to financial, identification management and logistics services.

Success stories

The second panel centred on postal financial service innovations, bringing together speakers from designated operators which have already seen success in implementing digital financial services.
M’hamed Moussaoui, Deputy CEO of Morocco’s Al Barid Bank, shared the key to the organization’s successful national mobile payment project. In Morocco, 99 percent of payment transactions in the country were done in cash, contributing to an estimated 0.7 percent loss in GDP. As a response, Al Barid Bank launched a series of mobile services – from money transfers, to bill payments – allowing it to capture a fast-growing market. It now holds a 77.4 percent share of mobile banking transactions on the Fatourati payment platform. His advice for success: put customer experience first and follow the demands of the market.
Tunisia Post has also been involved in its country’s national de-cashing and financial inclusion policies, having launched Tunisia’s first cryptocurrency, the e-dinar, in 2000. According to the Post’s Head of International Affairs, Houssem Gharbi, the operator is now working on becoming an incubator for start-ups, working with them to diversify their payment methods to offer customers a variety of mobile payment packages that suit them.
Swiss Post Investment Director Olivier Laplace rounded off the second panel, highlighting blockchain’s ability to bring all players onto one mobile app. Swiss Post’s financial services unit, Postfinance, has now developed a platform allowing a local electricity provider to generate automated invoices based on data collected from smart electricity meters. He also stressed that Posts venturing into new technologies must have a “reflex for user testing”.

Innovating quickly

Moderator Michael Wade, who is a professor of Innovation and Strategy at the International Institute for Management Development and Cisco Chair in Digital Business Transformation, closed the discussions with a call for Posts to overcome their legacy of slow change and quicken the pace of innovation. He said to do so, they should focus on promoting autonomy, rewards and, most importantly, psychological safety among staff.
The forum was held on the sidelines of the UPU’s Postal Operations Council meetings held in Berne between 1 to 5 April.