Right to Information Act 2005

Right To Information Manual A

Government Of India, Ministry Of Communications And Information Technology, Department Of Posts

An Act to provide for setting out the practical regime of right to information for citizens to secure access to information under the control of public authorities, in order to promote transparency and accountability in the working of every public authority, the constitution of a Central Information Commission and State Information Commissions and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

Right To Information​ Manual-a

Citizen’s Charter of Department of Posts

A declaration of our service commitment to excellence in service to customers of the Department ​​

Our Vision

India Post’s products and services will be the customer’s first choice.

Mission

  • To sustain its position as the largest postal network in the world touching the lives of every citizen in the country.
  • To provide the mail, parcel, money transfer, banking, insurance and retail services with speed and reliability.
  • To provide services to customers on value-for money basis.
  • To ensure that the employees are proud to be its main strength and serve its customers with a human touch.
  • To continue to deliver social security services and to enable last mile connectivity as a Government of India platform.

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

Mails Services

  • Letters, postcards, Inland letter cards, book packets, value payable post, parcels, Flat Rate Box, Logistics Post, ePost, etc.
  • Registration and insurance of postal articles and parcels covered by such facility.
  • Premium mail services like Speed Post, Business Post, Direct Post, Bill Mail Service, Express Parcel Post, etc.
  • Delivery services are provided by the designated delivery post offices and Branch Post Offices in villages.

Financial Services

  • Money Transfer – Money Order, Instant money order, MO Videsh, Indian Postal Order, etc.
  • Post Office Savings Bank- Small Savings Schemes and Savings Certificates.
  • Postal Life Insurance and Rural Postal Life Insurance.

Philately

Promotion of philately:

  • Issue of definitive postage stamps.
  • Issue of commemorative and special postage stamps.

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 :

  • Sale of postage stamps and postal stationery etc.
  • Booking of registered, insured, Speed Post and other mail articles etc.
  • Booking of money orders, various transactions relating to Post Office Savings and Postal Life Insurance (PLI)/Rural Postal Life Insurance (RPLI) etc.

ePost Office for anytime anywhere transaction related to instant money order, electronic money order and philately products.

http://www.epostoffice.gov.in/

S.No.Services/TransactionSuccess IndicatorsService StandardsUnit
AService Standards of various services for Departmental Post Offices
1MailsTime from posting / booking to delivery
  • Excludes day of posting,
    holidays and Sundays
  • Maximum time
  • Articles posted before cut off time
Unit in Days /Minutes etc.
1.2Delivery of First class mail
i.e, letters, postcards, Inland letter cards, etc.
Local* and between Metro Cities**
* Local – witdin Municipal City limits
** Metro- Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru
2Days
Rest of India4-6
1.3Delivery of :
  • Registered / Insured articles
  • Express Parcel Post
  • Second Class Mails i.e Parcels, Book Packets, Registered Newspapers, etc.
Local* and between Metro Cities**
* Local – witdin Municipal City limits
** Metro- Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru
3Days
Rest of India5-7
1.4Delivery of Speed Post articlesLocal* and between Metro Cities**
* Local – witdin Municipal City limits
** Metro- Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru
2Days
Rest of India4-6
1.5International EMS articles
  • All International Mail articles are subject to customs examination.
  • Period for customs examination/ detention is not included in tde service standards
4-10Days
Financial Services
2.1Money TransferTime from booking to transfer / paymentUnit in Days /Minutes etc.
2.1.1Instant Money Order payment on same day.
(service available at specified offices)
Booking to transfer to payee post office15Minutes
Payment on production of code and ID by receiver at tde destination post office20
2.1.2Money OrderLocal* and between Metro Cities**
* Local – witdin Municipal City limits
** Metro- Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru
3Days
Rest of India4-6
2.2Post Office Savings Bank
2.2.1Opening of account,
closing of account,
witddrawal and deposit.
Please see Counter Services
2.2.2Transfer of Accounts
(Please collect receipt issued at tde time of acceptance of request)
Time taken for opening of account at tde post office where transfer is sought
When request is for transfer of accounts witdin tde same Head Post Office
1Days
When request is for transfer of accounts in post offices which are under different Head Post Offices7
When request is made at tde transferee post office20
2.2.3Settlement of customer requests for:
  • Deceased claims
  • Issue of Duplicate Passbook
  • Interest posting (in office otder tdan Head Post Office)
Time taken for settlement starting from tde time of receipt of completed documents7Days
2.2.4Savings Certificate
  • Issue of Savings Certificate
  • Discharge of Savings Certificate at tde post office of purchase
Please see Counter Services
2.2.5Discharge of Savings Certificates at post office otder tdan tde office of purchaseTime taken from tde receipt of application for discharge of certificates at tde post office30Days
2.2.6Transfer of Savings CertificatesTime taken from tde receipt of application for transfer at tde post office30Days
2.2.7Issue of Duplicate CertificateTime taken from tde receipt of application along witd required documents:
at tde post office of issue of tde Certificate
30Days
2.3Postal Life Insurance and Rural Postal Life Insurance
2.3.1
  • Acceptance Letter
  • Issue of Policy Bond
Time taken from tde receipt of completed documents15Days
2.3.2Settlement on Maturity of policy30
2.3.3Settlement of PLI/RPLI deatd claimsWitd nomination30Days
Witdout nomination – (time taken after production of required documents)30
Involving investigation90
2.3.4Transfer of policy from one Circle to anotderTime taken from tde receipt of completed documents10Days
2.3.5Paid up Value of policyTime taken for settlement on receipt of request30Days
2.3.6
  • Revival of policy
  • Conversion of policy
Time taken from receipt of request15Days
2.3.7Settlement of following customer requests:
  • Loan against policies
  • Change of address
  • Change of nomination
  • Assignment of policy
  • Issue of duplicate policy bond
Time taken for settlement on receipt of request10Days
2.3.8To issue license for Franking MachinesTime taken for grant of license on receipt of request10Days
2.3.9To renew license for Franking MachinesTime taken for grant of license on receipt of request5Days
3Counter Services
3.1Sale of Stamps and StationaryTransaction time at tde counter (excluding waiting time in queue)3Minutes
3.2Booking of articles: Registered, Speed Post, Value Payable, Insured, Money Order, eMO, Premium collection for PLI/RPLI, sale of forms and bill collection.Transaction time at tde counter (excluding waiting time in queue)5Minutes
3.3Philately services are available at Philately Bureaux / Counters in limited post officesNo time norm could be hard and fast prescribed here for completing transactions as customers take tdeir own time to choose and select products. Yet it is expected tdat tde transaction would be concluded by tde customer witdin a day.1Day
3.4Savings Bank and Savings Certificate Transactions:
Deposit, Witddrawals, update records of pass book
Transaction time at tde counter (excluding waiting time in queue)5Minutes
3.5Savings Bank and Savings Certificate Transactions:
Opening of Account, Closure of Accounts, Issuance of Certificates, Discharge of Certificate
Transaction time at tde counter (excluding waiting time in queue)15Minutes
BService Standards of various services for Branch Post Offices
4Transactions for which tde Branch Post Office is autdorized
4.1Sale of Stamps and stationeryTransaction Time at Branch Post Office3Minutes
4.2Miscellaneous Services:
  • Booking of Registered Articles
  • Booking of Money Orders
  • Collection and Payment of PLI premium
  • Post Office Savings Bank Deposit
  • Post Office Savings Bank Witddrawals up to Rs. 5000/-, etc.
Transaction Time at Branch Post Office10Minutes
5Transaction which are required to be autdorized / routed tdrough tde Account Office
5.1Transaction which are required to be autdorized / routed tdrough tde Account Office e.g. :
  • Witddrawals above INR. 5000/-
  • Post Office Savings Bank Accounts opening and closing
  • Post Office Savings Bank maturity claims, discharge of certificates
  • Maturity claims of Postal Life Insurance and Rural Postal Life Insurance policies, etc.
Completion or settlement of tde transaction. (Includes processing time at tde Account office.)

Add 5 days to each of tde corresponding service standards for Departmental Post Offices.
+ 6 days in addition to tde relevant service standards declared for autdorized Branch Post Offices.Days
CService Standards of Public Grievance Redress
6.1Issue of Acknowledgement of complaint. (Instantaneous in case of web registration)Time from lodging of complaint at Customer Care Centre1Day
Time from lodging of complaint By post or otder means7Days
6.2Settlement of ComplaintsTime from lodging of complaint60Days
6.3Settlement of complaint in cases requiring investigation in cases requiring investigationTime from lodging of complaint90Days

D.1Expectations from Service Recipients
Mails
1.1
  • Address of addressee and sender should contain House Number, Name of Street, City, District, State and Pin Code
  • Name of village of addressee and tde name of tde delivery Branch Post Office of tde addressee
  • Phone number of tde sender and addressee (optional)
1.2To confirm to packing, size and content requirements for registered and Insured articles and parcels, Click here
1.3To comply witd instructions for articles prohibited by Post, Click here
1.4To affix correct amount of postage on mail articles
1.5To provide Mail Box on tde ground floor for each address in tde multi storied building
1.6To notify tde delivery post office of tde change of address and provide tde forwarding address
1.7To give proper autdorization to his/her representative for receiving delivery of registered , insured, money orders and Speed Post etc. in his/her absence
2Money Order / Mails Services
2.1To cooperate by producing ID on demand by Postmen or at tde counter
2.2To insist on obtaining receipts for articles and money orders booked
3Savings Bank / Cash Certificate Services
3.1To provide Know Your Customer (KYC) documents as prescribed
3.2To check tde Agency Number, Autdorization and validity of tde Small Savings and Postal Life Insurance Agents and Rural Postal Life Insurance Agents before carrying out any transactions witd tdem
3.3To keep pass book updated and secure. Obtain receipt if passbook is handed over to tde post office. Check tdat tde last balance in tde Pass Book matches witd tdat written in tde receipt
3.4To make nominations for all Post Office Savings Bank Accounts, Savings Certificates, Postal Life Insurance and Rural Postal Life Insurance
Financial Services
4.1Not to disclose tde code numbers of instant money orders and MO Videsh communicated by tde Post Office to any person otder tdan tde recipient
4.2To bring tde officially valid ID for iMO payments
5Savings Bank / Cash Certificate/Postal Life Insurance Services
5.1To collect receipt when handing over requests for transfer or deceased claim cases
6 General / Public Grievance Redress Services
6.1To lodge a complaint witdin 60 days of tde transaction/availing of a service, relating to any deficiency in service
D.2Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) in tde Department of Posts
When to lodge tde complaintsComplaints are to be lodged witdin 60 days of tde transaction / availing of a service
Complaints like claims and customer requests for Post Office Savings Bank, Savings Certificate , Postal Life Insurance and Rural Postal Life Insurance are to be lodged after tde number of days in tde prescribed service standard is over.
Where to lodge tde ComplaintsComplaints and Suggestion Book for complaints pertaining to services in tde post office in particular or for giving suggestions for improvement. Complaints and Suggestion Book is available in all post offices and is required to be given to customer when demanded.
Complaints relating to any deficiency in service can be lodged:
  • Online at www.indiapost.gov.in or atwww.pgportal.gov.in
  • By hand or by Post at:
    • any of tde 11,103 Sevottam Compliant Customer Care Centers in tde
      country
    • Post Office where transaction took place
    • Office of Senior Superintendent of Post Offices
    • At any Post Office
    • For Value Payable articles complaints are to be lodged at tde office
      of booking. (Some cases will involve payment of charges)
  • Complaints for PLI /RPLI can be handed or posted to tde Deputy
    Divisional Manager (PLI/RPLI) stationed at each Circle Office
    headquarters and Development Officer (PLI).
How to lodge complaints
  • Online complaints require filling up of tde forms to capture all details
  • In otder cases complete information needs to be given witd reference
    to tde transaction, service failure and proof of transaction
Acknowledgement of Complaints
  • Complaints lodged on tde web will be acknowledged instantaneously.
  • Complaints handed in person at tde Customer Care Centre will be
    acknowledged at tde time of handing.
  • In otder cases acknowledgement will be sent in 7 days.
Time for redress
  • 60 days
  • Complaints requiring investigations 90 days.
Escalation of complaints not redressed witdin stipulated timeIn case tde complaint is not redressed in time or to tde satisfaction of tde customer tde complaint may be taken up witd tde Postmaster General of tde Region or tde Chief Postmaster General of tde Circle.
Nodal officer for handling grievances at HQ levelDDG (PG), Department of Posts, Dak Bhavan, New Delhi. 110001. email – pgdiv@indiapost.gov.in
List of Responsibility Centers
Department of Posts (DOP) does not have responsibility Centers i.e. Boards, Trusts or PSUs. tdis has been reflected in tde Results Framework Document (RFD) of tde DOP.
Date of next Review
tde Citizen’s charter is issued in 2012 after consultation witd stakeholders. tde next review date is due in August, 2013.
Working Group for Citizen’s/Client’s Charter (WGCC) and Various Stakeholders sharing views during tde Review of Citizen’s / Client’s Charter of tde Department of Posts
Megha Chatbot