This blog is meant for use by members of the Association for news and views. Send comments / suggestions / views to e-mail Id: aiaipasp.ors@gmail.com

Monday, October 22, 2018

Factsheet: About the UPU

Established in 1874, with its headquarters in Berne, Switzerland, the Universal Postal Union is the world’s second oldest international organization. With 192 member countries, the UPU is the primary forum for postal cooperation between governments, Posts, regulators and many other postal sector stakeholders.

The UPU helps ensure the provision of a truly universal postal service, with physical, financial and electronic dimensions. It does this primarily by:
  • establishing multilateral cooperation and agreements;
  • developing technical and quality-of-service standards;
  • providing technical assistance and development cooperation;
  • regulating worldwide traffic of international mail;
  • monitoring market trends;
  • making recommendations for modernizing postal products; and
  • fostering dialogue among all postal sector players.
As a United Nations specialized agency, the UPU has a mandate to promote global socio-economic development and help its members contribute to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals for 2030.

How the UPU works

At each quadrennial Universal Postal Congress, the UPU’s 192 member countries come together to make rules, set policy and approve a new strategy for the next four-year work cycle. The strategy for 2017–2020, known as the Istanbul World Postal Strategy, has three major goals:
  1. Improve the interoperability of network infrastructure;
  2. Ensure sustainable and modern products;
  3. Foster effective market and sector functioning.
Though the Universal Postal Congress is the supreme authority of the UPU, several other bodies coordinate the UPU’s work throughout the cycle:
  • Council of Administration (CA), comprised of 41 member countries, is a political body of the UPU, which studies regulatory, administrative and legal issues;
  • Postal Operations Council (POC), comprised of 40 member countries, is a technical and operational body of the UPU, which deals with operational, economic and commercial aspects of postal business;
  • Consultative Committee, which represents the interests of the wider postal sector and reports to the CA;
  • International Bureau (IB), comprised of 250 staff, is the Secretariat of the UPU located in Berne, Switzerland, which provides logistical and technical support to UPU bodies.

Background information

Pre-255 BC: Kings and emperors begin using messengers.
255 BC: The oldest known postal document, found in Egypt, dates back to this time.
Middle Ages and early modern period: Religious orders and universities set up systems to exchange news and information. Relay stations are created to help ease delivery over long distances. Private citizens start using messengers.
17th–18th century: Countries begin forming bilateral agreements to exchange mail.
19th century: A complex web of bilateral agreements begins to impede trade and commerce.
1840: Sir Rowland Hill introduces prepaid postage on letters in the United Kingdom, with uniform rates for domestic service. The world’s first stamp, the “Penny Black”, is distributed.
1863: The Postmaster General of the United States, Montgomery Blair, calls a conference in Paris to develop form an international postal agreement. Fifteen European and American countries attend and lay down princi­ples for mutual agreement, but no agreement is settled.
1874: The Swiss Government convenes an international conference at the suggestion of Heinrich von Stephan, a postal official from the North German Confederation. Twenty-two nations attend, and the Treaty of Berne is signed on 9 October, establishing the General Postal Union and creating a single postal territory.
1878: The Union’s name is changed to “Universal Postal Union” to reflect its quickly expanding membership.
1948: The UPU becomes a specialized agency of the United Nations.
Present day: The UPU now has 192 member countries.

The Post at a glance

With more than 677,000 outlets across the globe and some 5.3 million staff, the Post represents the largest physical network in the world. This makes it a perfect partner, not only for providing traditional communication services, but also for providing access to governmental, financial and trade services in even the remotest areas.
In 2016:
  • 303.2 billion letter-post items were exchanged;
  • 8.9 billion parcels were exchanged;
  • 39% of global postal revenue came from letters, 23% from parcels and logistics, 18% from financial services, and 20% from other product and service categories.
(Postal statistics: Postal Economic Outlook 2018)

Implementation of recommendations of One-Man Committee on issue of Identity cards to the Gramin Dak Sevaks (GDS)

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Furnishing three copies of joint photographs (or seperate photographs) with wife or husband by the Pensioner to Head of Office while filling up/uploading the pension forms

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Grant of benefit of pay fixation at time of promotion to Postmaster Grade-I

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5 popular small savings schemes to choose from

Every time markets fall, investors start flocking to fixed income options. Though small savings rates have been hiked, don’t go overboard when investing in these instruments. 

1. PPF: Young investors stay away 

Investors love the PPF because the investment gets tax deduction, the interest earned is tax free and there is no tax on maturity. But there is an annual investment limit of Rs 1.5 lakh per year. Young investors (below 35) looking for tax deduction under Sec 80C are advised not to go for the PPF. An equity-oriented investment such as ELSS (or tax saving mutual funds) or NPS is likely to give higher returns. 

However, older investors (above 45) should use the PPF to bolster their debt portfolio. Keep in mind, however, that the interest rates are linked to government bond yields and are revised every quarter. The PPF interest rate has been hiked to 8% for the Oct-Dec 2018 quarter. 

Some analysts believe the hike was long due because government bond yields (to which the small savings rates are linked) have consistently risen in the past few quarters. But others feel that in the long term, interest rates will dip, bringing down the PPF rate as well. 

2. SSY: Better than PPF 

If you plan to invest in the PPF or bank deposits for your daughter’s education or marriage, the Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSY) is a better alternative. But an account can be opened only if the girl is below 10. There is an annual investment limit of Rs 1.5 lakh in a financial year. 


A parent can open an account for a maximum of two daughters, but the combined investment in the two accounts cannot exceed Rs 1.5 lakh a year. The SSY offers the same tax benefits as the PPF—tax deduction under Sec 80C, tax free interest and no tax on maturity. On top of that, the interest rate is higher at 8.5%. Though this might sound attractive, experts say one should not invest their entire savings in fixed income options. 

3. POMIS: Tax inefficient 

The Post Office Monthly Income Scheme will earn interest of 7.7% for the December quarter. An investor can open multiple accounts in his name, subject to the upper limit of Rs 4.5 lakh in a single account and Rs 9 lakh in a joint account. The scheme offers liquidity to the investor allowing premature withdrawls after one year, but with a penalty. 

Premature withdrawals after one year attracts 2% deduction on the deposit and a nominal 1% after three years. But, investor should note that the scheme is highly tax inefficient because the interest earned is fully taxable and does not fetch any rebate under Section 80C. Though it guarantees monthly income, it is not advised as a good savings avenue even for retirees. 

4. NSCs: Better than tax saving FD 

Interest rate on NSC has been hiked from 7.6% to 8% for the December quarter. The revised rate is at par with some of the highest paying five year bank FDs. But NSC has an edge over tax saving bank FDs and PPF as there is no upper limit on the investment amount and it can be pledged as security to get a loan. 

Also, interest rate on NSC in spite of quarterly revisions gets locked for the five year term at the time of investment, unlike in the case of PPF. The interest income from NSC is added to the investor’s income and taxed as per the applicable tax slab. 

However, the interest is re-invested every year and the cumulative interest, compounded annually, for the 5-year period is paid out along with the principal at the time of maturity. Hence, interest income for the first four years qualifies for tax deduction within the Rs 1.5 lakh limit under Section 80C. 

5. SCSS: Best option for seniors 

A 3-5 year bank fixed deposit right now fetches 7.5-8%. Most banks offer senior citizens almost 25-50 basis points higher interest. This year’s budget gave an additional Rs 50,000 exemption to interest income earned by senior citizens, adding to the lustre of fixed deposits. 

But the interest rate of the Senior Citizens’ Savings Scheme has been hiked to 8.7% per annum, making it a far better option than bank deposits. What’s more, it gives out quarterly interest, which is a big draw for retirees seeking regular income. 

Senior citizens who have not yet hit the Rs 15 lakh investment limit for the scheme should invest immediately and lock in at the high rate. Accounts can be opened in any post office or designated branches of PSU banks. 

Source:-The Economic Times

Tuesday, October 16, 2018

Shri Pradipta Kumar Bisoi (IPoS-1985) is posted as Member (Personnel), Postal Services Board, Postal Directorate, New Delhi on promotion.

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All India Association of Inspectors and Assistant Superintendents of Posts, Odisha Circle Branch congratulates Shri Pradipta Kumar Bisoi (IPoS-1985) on his promotion and posting as Member (Personnel), Postal Services Board, Postal Directorate, New Delhi and wishes the best for his new assignment.  

Transfer/postings in the Senior Administrative Grade (SAG) of Indian Postal Service, Group 'A'

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On return from Study Leave Shri Suvendu Ku. Swain (IPoS-1990) is posted as PMG, Allahabad Region, UP Circle.

Productivity Linked Bonus for the Accounting year 2017-18

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Saturday, October 13, 2018

UPU News:-UPU celebrates postal development on World Post Day

The Universal Postal Union (UPU) presented awards to the top-ranking countries in its comparative development index, with Switzerland taking first prize in an awards ceremony hosted at UPU’s Berne, Switzerland, headquarters on World Post Day.

The Integrated Index for Postal Development (2IPD), which was released earlier this year, is a comparative index providing an overview of postal development around the world, using UPU’s unparalleled collection of postal big data to create a ranking of 173 countries. It benchmarks performance across four key dimensions: reliability, reach, relevance and resilience.
UPU Deputy Director General Pascal Clivaz opened the award ceremony, which was attended by the local diplomatic corps, representatives from member countries and UPU staff.
“The Integrated Index for Postal Development or ‘2IPD’ clearly shows the state of the sector in an age of digitalization and booming e-commerce. It also shows how the UPU is accompanying Posts in this new world,” said Mr. Clivaz.
Switzerland’s balanced performance, including top volume per capita and a well-diversified portfolio, earned the country the top spot for a second year.
“This award reflects our logistics service performance not only in Switzerland, but around the world. This award motivates us very much to go ahead with this quick pace and to show up again on the same page of competitors next year,” said Swiss Post’s Head of PostLogistics, Dieter Bambauer, who accepted the award on behalf of Switzerland.
Mr. Bambauer also acknowledged the contribution of the operator’s 60,000 staff in achieving the high score.
Its delivery speed and interconnectedness with international partners won Netherlands second place, with Japan receiving a third-place award thanks to its high customer demand and service quality.
The Deputy Director General congratulated the top three for their “reliable, well-connected, relevant and resilient postal services.”
Regional top-scorers were also recognized during the ceremony. Poland (ranked 6th), Singapore (ranked 7th), Brazil (ranked 44th), Tunisia (ranked 49th) and Nigeria (ranked 51st), each received certificates for a standout performance in their respective regions.
* *** *
World Post Day is celebrated each year on 9 October. The event was declared by the 1969 Universal Postal Congress in Tokyo as a means to mark the anniversary of the Universal Postal Union’s (UPU) creation in 1874. The purpose of World Post Day is to bring awareness to the Post’s role in the everyday lives of people and businesses, as well as its contribution to global social and economic development. This year’s theme is how the post is delivering good to the world.   
More information about the Integrated Index for Postal Development (2IPD), including the full ranking, can be found here: http://www.upu.int/en/the-upu/strategy/2ipd.html 

Tuesday, October 9, 2018

“India Post leverages it’s unmatched reach and trust to take Digital Banking and Government Services to the doorstep of citizens”: Manoj Sinha

Minister of State for Communications (Independent Charge), Shri Manoj Sinha today shared the details of the public outreach activities being undertaken by the Department of Posts (DoP) during the National Postal Week starting October 09, 2018. The Minister was addressing the media here on the occasion of World Post Day 2018. This day marks the creation of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) in 1874.
Addressing the gathering, the Minister said – “With the nation-wide launch of 650 branches and 3250 access points of IPPB by the Prime Minister last month, the trusted Postman has now become a banker to millions of unbanked and under-banked Indians who have so far had no access to financial services. More than 12 lakh IPPB accounts have been opened so far, with a balance of more than Rs. 13 crores. All the 1.55 lakh Post Offices in the country will be linked to the IPPB system by December 31, 2018.
Shri Sinha also shared that India Post is committed to provide responsive and convenient citizen-centric services to the people of the country. The Department has set up and operationalized 221 Post Office Passport Seva Kendras (POPSKs) in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), and processed more than 15 lakh passport appointments so far. Additionally, 13,352 Aadhar Enrolment and Updation Centres have been set up in partnership with the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI),where more than 21 lakh enrolments and updates have been completed.
The benefits of the Postal Life Insurance (PLI) product have now been extended to doctors, engineers, management consultants, CAs, architects, teachers, lawyers, and bankers, as well as employees of companies listed on the NSE and BSE. More than 1600 villages in the country have been covered under the Sampoorna Bima Gram (SBG) Yojana, providing financial security to more than two lakh families in these villages. Of the 1.46 crore Sukanya Samriddhi Accounts opened in the country so far, 1.27 crore accounts reside with Post Offices. The Department has also launched creative initiatives such as the Deen Dayal Scholarship for Promotion of Aptitude and Research in Stamps as a Hobby (SPARSH), under which 841 students were awarded scholarships during the year 2017-18.
Shri Sinha also released a corporate brochure on the products and services being offered by India Post.Speaking on the occasion, Secretary (Posts) Shri Anant Narayan Nanda highlighted the setting up of a new Parcel Directorate in the department to focus on the parcel business which has undergone a radical transformation with the emergence of the e-Commerce business in the country. “We will continue to reinvent ourselves to keep pace with the changing needs of our countrymen”, he said.
Shri Sinha also emphasized that, under the leadership of the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the Government is committed to take care of it’s staff, who are the foundation to support the changing face of the Department. “The recent revision in the wages and allowances of more than 2.6 lakh Gramin Dak Sevaks (GDS), resulting in an average increase of more than 55% in the emoluments of this category, is only a small step in this direction”, he concluded.
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Source:-PIB (Release ID: 1549043) Visitor Counter : 162 

Address of Hon'ble Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Communications on the occasion of World Post Day 2018

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Entry pay for direct recruits appointed on or after 1.1.2006 and pay fixation in the case of persons other than such direct recruits

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Friday, October 5, 2018

CS writes to CPMG for inclusion of promotional vacancies aroused in Inspector Posts cadre for the year-2018

No.AIAIPASP/Corr-1/07/2018
05-10-2018
To
Dr. Santosh Ku. Kamila, IPoS
Chief Postmaster General
          Odisha Circle, Bhubaneswar-751001

Sub:- Request for inclusion of promotional vacancies aroused in Inspector Posts cadre for the year-2018. 

Respected Sir, 

          On regular promotion of Inspector Posts to Assistant Superintendents of Posts, there are a good number of clear vacancies in Inspector Posts cadre in Odisha Circle. Vacancies for LDCE for promotion to Inspector Posts cadre and direct recruitment through CGLE for the year 2018 has already been submitted beforehand.  

           Now submission of revised vacancy for LDCE for promotion to Inspector Posts cadre and direct recruitment through CGLE for the year 2018 including the clear vacancies aroused in Inspector Posts cadre due to recent promotion may kindly be considered so that the posts will not remain vacant for a longer period.

          With deep regards,
Yours sincerely,


(Pitabasa Jena)
Circle Secretary    

Review of guidelines for issue & review of Inspection Report

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Clarification regarding drawl of Composite allowance to GDS BPMs on implementation of recommendations of One Man Committee on wages and allowances of Gramin Dak Sevaks

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Wednesday, October 3, 2018

CS writes to CPMG on frequent organization of PLI/RPLI Melas

No.AIAIPASP/Corr-1/06/2018
03-10-2018
To
Dr. Santosh Ku. Kamila, IPoS
Chief Postmaster General
          Odisha Circle, Bhubaneswar-751001

Sub:- Organization of PLI/RPLI Mela at Sub-Divisional Level.

Respected Sir, 

          As per the instructions issued from Circle Office to Postal Divisions, the Sub-Divisional Heads have been asked to organize PLI/RPLI Melas at Sub-Divisional Level on monthly basis and it is being conducted by them since last three / four months.
          You are aware that now a days the Sub-Divisional Heads are overburdened with training programmes of IPPB & RICT and implementation of RICT in Branch Post Offices under their jurisdiction. Secondly it is the last quarter of the Calendar Year and there are huge pendency of inspections due to preoccupation in above training programmes and RICT implementation which are to be completed by 31st December.
          The Circle Working Committee Meeting of this Association was held on 23-09-2018 at Bhubaneswar. All the members of the CWC have expressed their concern on this issue. Organization of Melas in such quick intervals (monthly basis) will not be successful and divert the minds of the Inspecting Authorities. Rather it is losing the importance.   
           
I, therefore, on behalf of this Association would like to request you for consideration of PLI/RPLI Melas on quarterly basis at Divisional level instead of monthly basis, and to make provision of sufficient fund for organization of such Melas.  
With profound regards,
Yours sincerely,

(Pitabasa Jena)
Circle Secretary    
Copy for kind information and necessary action to:-
1.   The PMG, Berhampur Region, Berhampur.
2.   The PMG, Sambalpur Region, Sambalpur.  


(Pitabasa Jena)
Circle Secretary