India Post is now looking to tie up with agricultural producers to deliver their produce to the doorsteps of consumers. This comes after a pilot project to deliver idli and dosa batter to homes in the city failed to take off in a big way.
“We have the capacity to tie up with agricultural producers and deliver their produce to the doorsteps of the customers,” said S. Rajendra Kumar, Chief Postmaster General, Karnataka Circle.
“This can include fruits, vegetables and other grains like corn produces. We are trying to locate some agro-producers for this. We already have a tie-up with the Mango Board and they have said that they will also try to establish online booking facilities for other seasonal fruits,” he said.
He said as a last-mile connectivity agent, the department will not take any e-commerce orders by itself, but if any of the other service providers came forward, then they are willing to tie up for doorstep deliveries.
Earlier this year in July, the Postal Department started the doorstep delivery of idli and dosa batter and some other ready to eat food products. A popular restaurant group in the city, Halli Mane had tied up with the department for this project. However, Mr. Rajendra said the project failed to take off on a full scale as the restaurant did not take it up on a larger scale after the pilot project. “We used to get less than ten orders a day,” he said.
Export services
The department is also looking to popularise its export services among exporters as the whole documentation process can now take place online.
“The documentation process is integrated with the Customs system which is why the exporters do not have to come to Bengaluru for Customs clearance”, the chief postmaster general said.
He said while there are already tie-ups existent with the government for old age and social security pension payments, doorstep delivery of birth and death certificates, driving licences and RC books, it is the department’s goal to ensure that all government ID cards and certificates are delivered through the postal service.
National Postal Week
Presently, to mark the National Postal Week from October 9 to 15, the department has taken up a special drive during which the Karnataka Postal Circle has opened over 85,000 accounts, including Sukanya Samruddhi and Post Office Savings account for people across the State.
While several account opening melas are organised in the State on October 10 on account of Financial Inclusion Day on October 11, special postal covers along the theme of ‘one district one product’ will be launched on the occasion of Philately Day. “A special cover of Indi lemons will be launched in Indi and we will also release a cover of Ramanagaram coconut,” Mr. Rajendra said.
On October 14, a special ‘senior citizen – underprivileged children interaction’ has been organised at General Post Office in Bengaluru. The senior citizens will be encouraged to write letters to these children as they would write to their grandchildren. Along with the interaction, a quiz competition will also be held that day.
Throughout the week, an exhibition on special covers of Geographical Indication tagged products will be conducted at the Communications museum on Museum Road.
