e-Post
e-post is a service in which customers’ printed or handwritten messages are scanned and transmitted as e-mail through internet. In fact, it is an unregistered hybrid mail that is designed to provide service to both individual as well as corporate customers. The message may include text message, scanned images, pictures etc. These messages are printed, enveloped at the destination offices and delivered in hard copies through postmen like other letters at the postal addresses.
On 30 January 2004, showing its commitment and desire to bridge the digital divide and to cater the benefit of the revolutionary internet technology to the people living in rural and remote areas, the Department of Post (DoP) introduced a nation- wide e-Post service.
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Speaking at the launching ceremony of this Service then Secretary of the Department of Post had said that it is a great landmark’ in the history of India Post.
In fact, e-Post was started as a pilot project in 2002 in 205 Post Offices in Five States: Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Goa, Kerala and Maharashtra.
At present, booking facility is procurable in more than 13,000 Post Offices and are physically delivered through a network of more than 1,55,000 Post Offices. e-Post costs just Rs. 10 per page of A4 size.
Corporate customers including Government Departments Public Sector Units (PSUs), Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), Companies etc. can also avail e-Post service from their offices by having a business agreement with Indian Post. Corporate customers get special e-Post rates and other value additions.
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e-Post Office
The e-Post Office is an e-Commerce shopping Portal of the Department of posts. In order to provide selected facility to the common man through the internet it sells Stamps, Postcards, Packets and Cartons. Aiming to provide convenience to the public it has services like courier, registering for electricity vendors, selling mobile cards etc. Under this website products and services can be ordered by customers from their home/office for which they would have to use their own computer and internet by developing this web site.
e-Post office, brought to you by Post Corporation, is a service that makes mailing more convenient. EPO- commonly known by its web address, e-Post – permits candidates to receive their mail, conduct financial transactions and access information online.
By using e-Post services customers can purchase philatelic stamps and pay Postal Life Insurance (PLI) and Rural Postal Life Insurance (RPLI) premium online by using their credit/debit card through this postal. However, to avail these Services the first time customers would have to register on the website.
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Some of the Limitations are:
But like many other systems, this existing system of has got its limitations: this system does not cater all country products, items information like cards, inland covers and services like speed post; it does not provide mobile card details; it does not cater the service of paying electricity bills; this system does not maintain customers information.
eIPO (Electronic Indian Postal Order)
On 22 March 2013, the scheme of eIPO (Electronic Indian Postal Order) was launched by the Department of Post, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology in association with Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) with a view to enable Indian citizen living abroad to pay the RTI fee online through e-Post Office portal (https://www.epostoffice.gov.in)
On 13 February 2014, this facility was made available to Indian citizens living in India.
By using the website of e-Post portal, customers can buy an Indian Postal order electronically by paying a fee through the credit card or debit card of any bank powered by Visa/Master.
The RTI application having an e-Post is similar in all respects to the RTI application accompanied by fees through any other approved mode.
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