​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​RIGHT TO INFORMATION ACT 2005​

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Right To Information​ Manual - 4

Norms set for the discharge of functions

Norms for various Postal Services

Department of Posts is proud to have the largest postal network in the world. Our service area continues to expand to reach people even in hilly, difficult and inaccessible terrains. At the same time there is a continuous endeavor to improve our services/operations with innovative ideas and induction of technology. Our commitment towards rendering better service emanates from our Mission. Our Mission guidelines are:

  • Total dedication to understanding and fulfilling customer needs.
  • Total devotion to providing efficient and reliable service which the customers consider to be value  for money.
  • Total commitment to providing challenging and rewarding career for every employee.
  • Total recognition of the responsibilities as a part of the social, industrial and commercial life of the country.
  • Total enthusiasm to be forward looking and innovative in all areas.

The Department has formulated and implemented in all major offices its  citizen's charter, which is an expression of our commitment towards improving our services offered to make them more efficient and responsive and at the same time making our working more transparent to our valued customers.

The citizen's charter is an attempt to bring the Department closer to its customers.

Our Citizen's Charter Commitments

Our Customers / Clients
  • We serve all residents of India and we are the main service provider for rural citizens for mails and financial services.
  • Public Institutions, private businesses and print media.
  • Government organizations.
  • Other postal administrations.
  • Philatelists.

Our Services 

https://www.indiapost.gov.in
Mails Services:
  1. Letters, postcards, Inland letter cards, book packets, value payable post, parcels, Flat Rate Box, Logistics PostRegistration and insurance of postal articles and parcels covered by such facility.
  2. Premium mail services like Speed Post, Business Post, Direct Post, Bill Mail Service, Express Parcel Post, etc.
  3. Delivery services are provided by the designated delivery post offices and Branch Post Offices in villages.
Financial Services:
  1. Money Transfer – Money Order, Instant money order, MO Videsh, Indian Postal Order, etc.
  2. Post Office Savings Bank- Small Savings Schemes and Savings Certificates.
  3. Postal Life Insurance and Rural Postal Life Insurance.
Philately:
  1. Promotion of philately.
  2. Issue of definitive postage stamps.
  3. Issue of commemorative and special postage stamps.
  4. Delivery through Philatelic Bureau and counters as well as through ePost Office.
Counter Services:

Counter services are provided from post offices (Departmental and Branch Post Offices), Mail Offices or any other outlet designated for the purpose. These include:

  1. Sale of postage stamps and postal stationery etc.
  2. Booking of registered, insured, Speed Post and other mail articles etc.
  3. Booking of money orders, various transactions relating to Post Office Savings and Postal Life Insurance (PLI)/Rural Postal Life Insurance (RPLI) etc.
ePost Office:
  1. ePost Office for anytime anywhere transaction related to instant money order, electronic money order and philately products. http://www.epostoffice.gov.in
Expectations from Service Recipients
Sl. No.ServicesExpectations from Service Recipients
1Mails ServicesAddress of addressee and sender should contain House Number, Name of Street, City, District, State and Pin Code.
2Mails ServicesName of village of addressee and the name of the delivery Branch Post Office of the addressee.
3Mails ServicesPhone number of the sender and addressee.
4Mails ServicesTo conform to packing, size and content requirements for registered and Insured articles and parcels. ​
5Mails ServicesTo comply with instructions for prohibited articles.
6Mails ServicesTo affix correct amount of postage on mail articles.
7Mails ServicesTo provide Mail Box on the ground floor for each address in the multi storied building.
8Mails ServicesTo notify the delivery post office of the change of address and provide the forwarding address.
9Mails ServicesTo give proper authorization to his/her representative for receiving delivery of registered, insured, money orders and Speed Post etc. in his/her absence.
10Money Order/Mails ServicesTo cooperate by producing ID on demand by Postmen or at the counter.
11Money Order/Mails ServicesTo insist on obtaining receipts for articles and money orders booked.
12Savings Bank / Cash Certificate ServicesTo provide Know Your Customer (KYC) documents as prescribed.
13Savings Bank / Cash Certificate ServicesTo check the Agency Number, Authorization and validity of the Small Savings and Postal Life Insurance Agents and Rural Postal Life Insurance Agents before carrying out any transactions with them.
14Savings Bank / Cash Certificate ServicesTo keep pass book updated and secure. Obtain receipt if passbook is handed over to the post office and check that the last balance in the Pass Book matches with that written in the receipt.
15Savings Bank / Cash Certificate ServicesTo make nominations for all Post Office Savings Bank Accounts, Savings Certificates, Postal Life Insurance and Rural Postal Life Insurance.
16Financial ServicesNot to disclose the code numbers of instant money orders and MO Videsh communicated by the Post Office to any person other than the recipient.
17Financial ServicesTo bring the officially valid ID for iMO payments.
18Savings Bank / Cash Certificate/Postal Life Insurance ServicesTo collect receipt when handing over requests for transfer or deceased claim cases.
19General / Public Grievance Redress ServicesTo lodge a complaint, if so desired within 60 days of the transaction / availing of a service, relating to any deficiency in service.
Our norms for various services
Services / TransactionSuccess IndicatorsService StandardsUnit
​MailsTime from posting/booking to delivery
* Local – within Municipal City limits,
** Metro- Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru.
  • Excludes day of posting, holidays and Sundays.
  • Maximum time.
  • Articles posted before cut off time.
​​Delivery of Speed Post articles & First class mail i.e, letters, postcards, Inland letter cards, etc. Local* and between Metro Cities**2Days
Rest of India4 - 6
​​Delivery of Registered / Insured articles, Express Parcel Post, Parcels, Book Packets, Registered Newspapers, etc.

 

Local* and between Metro Cities**3
Rest of India 5-7
​International EMS articlesExclusive of time taken in customs examination.4-10
Instant Money Order – payment on same day (service available at specified offices) Booking 15Minutes
Payment on production of code and ID 20
​Money Order Local* and between Metro Cities**3Days
Rest of India4-6
​Transfer of S. B. Accounts Time taken for opening of account at the post office where transfer is sought
  • When request is for transfer of accounts within the same Head Post Office.
1Days
  • When request is for transfer of accounts in post offices which are under different Head Post Offices.
7
  • When request is made at the transferee post office.
20
​Settlement of customer requests for deceased claims, issue of Duplicate Passbook and interest posting   (in office other than Head Post Office)Time taken for settlement starting from the time of receipt of completed documents.7Days
Discharge of Savings Certificates at post office other than the office of purchaseTime taken from the receipt of application for discharge of certificates at the post office.30Days
​Transfer of Savings CertificateTime taken from the receipt of application for transfer at the post office.30Days
​Issue of Duplicate CertificateTime taken from the receipt of application along with required documents :
  • at the post office of issue of the Certificate.
30Days
​Issue of Postal Life Insurance and Rural Postal Life Insurance Acceptance Letter and Policy BondTime taken from the receipt of completed documents.15Days
​Settlement on Maturity of PLI/RPLI policyTime taken from the receipt of completed documents.30
​Settlement of claims on death of PLI/RPLI policy holder With nomination.30
Without nomination – (time taken after production of required documents.).
Involving investigation.90
​Transfer of PLI/RPLI policy from one Circle to anotherTime taken for settlement on receipt of request.10
​Paid up Value of policyTime taken for settlement on receipt of request.30Days
​Revival and conversion of PLI/RPLI policyTime taken from receipt of request.15
​Settlement of customer requests for loan against policies, change of address, change of nomination, assignment of policy and issue of duplicate policy bondTime taken for settlement on receipt of request.10
​Counter Services: Booking of articles Registered, Speed Post, Value Payable, Insured, Money Order, eMO, Premia collection for PLI/RPLI, sale of forms, bill collection, Savings Bank and Savings Certificate Transactions - Deposit, Withdrawals, update records of pass bookTransaction time at the counter
(excluding waiting time in queue).
5Minutes
​Counter Services: Savings Bank and Savings Certificate Transactions-Opening of Account, Closure of Accounts, Issuance of Certificates, Discharge of CertificateTransaction time at the counter
(excluding waiting time in queue).
15
Grievance Redress Mechanism: acknowledgement of complaint. (Instantaneous in case of web registration) Time from lodging of complaint
By post or other means.
7Days
​Settlement of ComplaintsTime from lodging of complaint.60Days
Settlement of complaint in cases requiring investigation ​​90Days

Compensation

We are not liable for any loss or damage to letters carried by the ordinary letter service. But in some cases you are entitled to compensation depending upon the type of service that you have availed. Compensation claims should be submitted to the Postmaster of the office where you booked the article after completing the formalities. However we suggest that you send your valuable mail either by Speed Post or Registered Post.

Norms For Administrative Functions

With respect to official dealings at the postal headquarters (Directorate), the time limits/norms as prescribed by Ministry of Finance and Planning Commission are adhered to on budget related matters. Norms as laid down by O&M Unit are followed to deal with the following items:

Norms as laid down by O&M Unit are followed to deal with the following items:
Parliamentary references Same day
Audit Paras Two weeks
Inter Branch references / clarifications One week
VIP references  One week
Public referencesTwo weeks

As per O&M guidelines, cases are disposed by not more than three levels. Ordinarily not more than two working days are taken for disposal of a case by the officer of the Division. List of pending cases are reviewed by Divisional head on monthly basis as prescribed.

Norms evolved (internal) for disposal of various Items of Work in Administrative Section
​Sl. No. Item Max. number of working days for disposal of application.
1.Forwarding of applications for higher posts10
2.Grant of Leave15
3.Grant of IncrementDuring the 1st​ week of the month in which increment is due.
4.Honorarium15
5.Furnishing of various types of reportsBy the due date
6.Verification of various types of applications e.g. GPF, LTC advance etc.05
7.Pay fixation10
8.Issue of NOC15
9.

Encashment of unutilized earned leave after retirement

07
10.Acceptance of nominations of DCRG/Family Pension/GPF10
Norms for disposal of cases in Cash &Accounts/Pay Bill Section
​​Sl. No.Item of workWorking days required for disposal of caseRemarks
1.GPF Advance/withdrawal5
2.GPF & Retirement Benefits (Except CGEGIS)-On the date of retirement provided requisite papers received from DA (P).
3.CGEGIS30Subject to availability of Service Book complete in all respects.
4.LTC/TA/FTA Advance5
5.Final settlement of LTC/TA/FTA bills5
6.Festival Adv-2 days before the festival. Application for festival advance must reach seven days before the date of festival.
7.Honorarium/ OTA/Tuition Fee-Payment one in a month on 25th of each month in r/o the applications received by 15th of the month.
8.HBA30
9.Motor Car/Computer/Scooter15Subject to release of funds by Budget Section.
10. Cycle & Other Short term advances7
11. Assignment of CGEGIS fund to financial institutions5
12. Medical Advance5
13. Medical Reimbursement25Subject to the claims being complete.
14. Telephone Bills5
15. Contingent Bills5
16. News Papers Bills5Payment once in a month on 20th of each month in r/o the applications received by 15th of the month.
17. Conveyance/Tea/Other Petty bills5
18. Air India/India Air Lines Bills20
19. Assessment of Income Tax-Twice during the year. Once in Nov. of each year & the final assessment in Feb. of each year.
20. Issue of Form 16 -30th April of each year.
21. Submission of Income Tax Return in Form 24-31st May of each year.
22. Fixation of Pay15
23. Arrears after pay fixation30
24. Periodical Increment Certificates-By 15th of each month.
25. Disbursement of salary-On the last date of each month, except for the month of March payment for which is made on the Ist working day of April.
26. Credit of non disbursed? Account-Before salary date.
27. Schedules-By 10th of each month.
28. Service Verification15
29. GPF Statement of Class IV Staff-By 31st July of each year.
30. GPF Statement of Other Staff15After receiving from DA (P).
31. Reconciliation of Accounts with DA (P)-By 10th of each month.
32. Payment of DA arrears5
33. Payment of Bonus10
34. Pay Advance5
35. Pay Certificate/LPC15
36. Deposit of Cheques to P.O.2
37. Payment by Cashier2
38. NDMC/MCD Guarantee2
39. RE/BE/FG -As per scheduled time.
Parliament Questions--do-
41. Periodical Statements--do-
42. Audit Objection--do-

Norms for opening for post offices in Rural areas

​The following norms for opening of Branch Post Offices in rural areas came into effect from 1st April, 1991.

  • Population

    1. In normal areas 3000 population in group of villages.
    2. In hilly tribal desert and inaccessible areas, 500 population in an individual village or 1000 in a group of villages.
  • Distance

    1. In normal areas, the minimum distance from the nearest existing post office will be 3 km.
    2. In hilly, tribal, desert and inaccessible areas, the distance limit will be the same except that the hilly areas, the minimum distance limit can be relaxed by the Directorate in cases where such relaxation is warranted by special circumstances which should be clearly explained while submitting a proposal.
  • Anticipated Income

    1. In normal areas, the minimum anticipated revenue will be 33.33 % of cost.
    2. In hilly, tribal, desert and inaccessible areas, the minimum anticipated income will be 15% of the cost.

Norms for opening of post offices in Urban areas

  1. Initially the SO should be self supporting but at the time of the first annual review, it should show a 5% profit to be eligible for further retention.
  2. The minimum distance between two post offices is 1.5 km in Cities with population of 20 lakhs and above and 2 km in Urban areas.
  3. No Extra Departmental PO will be opened in future in Urban areas.
  4. Heads of circles will continue to have powers to relax the distance conditions in 10% of the cases but this power should be exercised personally and not by delegation.

​Norms for delivery post offices

  1. The proposed delivery office should have a well demarcated delivery jurisdiction so as to minimize errors in TD Sorting.
  2. The minimum strength of postmen justified on the existing basis should not be less than 7.
  3. There will be no requirement of a minimum distance between the proposed delivery office and the nearest existing delivery office in view of 1 above.
  4. In case of new townships/individual estates and new colonies, heads of circles and regions will have the power to relax the condition of a minimum contingent of 7 postmen to open a delivery sub office or to convert a non-delivery office in to a delivery office.