Department of Posts to undergo major revamp after Q2 review, says Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia

Scindia said that against a target of Rs 4,200 crore for the quarter, the department achieved Rs 3,324 crore, about 80 per cent of the goal. While the figures reflect steady progress, the Minister emphasised that performance must accelerate to meet the overall annual target. "Against the 50 per cent target for total revenue this year, we have achieved 38 per cent, leaving us about 12 per cent behind," he noted during the meeting.

He pointed out that though the department fell short of the mid-year target, the half-yearly performance was better than last year's first half. "For FY25, our overall target is Rs 18,000 crore, we should have achieved around Rs 8,600 crore by now, but we have reached Rs 7,000 crore, which is about 40 per cent," Scindia said.

Two postal circles, Delhi and Telangana, were recognised for exceeding their quarterly targets, recording 149 per cent and 112 per cent achievement respectively. Scindia said these examples showed the potential for higher performance across other regions and called for "targeted interventions" in 12 underperforming circles, including Odisha, Kerala, Bihar, and Tamil Nadu, among others.

Outlining the roadmap for the next quarter, Scindia stressed that parcels and mail must become the department's mainstay. "Parcels and mail should contribute at least 75 per cent of total revenue," he said, while adding that products like the Consumer Credit Line (CCL) and Postal Life Insurance (PLI) would help diversify income streams.

He also spoke about strengthening accountability through regular reviews. "There will be monthly reviews by the CEO and CPMG across both verticals and horizontals, followed by joint assessments with the Director General, Secretary, and heads of six verticals," Scindia said. The department will also encourage the exchange of best practices between postal circles and adopt competitive benchmarking against private players.

On the broader vision, Scindia said the Department of Posts was undergoing a major transformation. "We are in the process of repositioning our department, bringing in cutting-edge competitiveness and introducing new products as part of a major revamp. The goal is to scale up operations significantly and deliver a much stronger performance," he stated.

He further said that headquarters teams have already visited several countries to study best practices in digitalisation and automation. "We are not looking at incremental improvements, we are gearing up for a monumental transformation," he added.

The review meeting also gave direction for renewed focus on new business generation, particularly in the B2B space, as the department looks to strengthen its role in India's growing logistics and service network. (ANI)