Citizen Charter

Citizen’s Charter of Department of Posts
Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Government of India
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 -
1. Letters, postcards, Inland letter cards, book packets, value payable post, parcels, Flat Rate Box, Logistics Post, ePost, etc.
2. Registration and insurance of postal articles and parcels covered by such facility.
3.  Premium mail services like Speed Post, Business Post, Direct Post, Bill Mail Service, Express Parcel Post, etc.
4. 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
 Promotion of philately,
1. Issue of definitive postage stamps.
2. 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 :
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 for anytime anywhere transaction related to instant money order, electronic money order and philately products. http://www.epostoffice.gov.in/

Service Standards of services provided by the Department of Posts (DOP)

S.No.	Services/Transaction	Success Indicators	Service Standards	Unit
A	Service Standards of various services for Departmental Post Offices
1	Mails	Time 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.
1.2	Delivery of First class mail i.e, letters, postcards, Inland letter cards, etc.	Local* and between Metro Cities** * Local – within Municipal City limits ** Metro- Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru.	2	Days
		Rest of India	4-6
1.3	Delivery of : Registered / Insured articles Express Parcel Post Second Class Mails i.e Parcels, Book Packets, Registered Newspapers, etc.	Local* and between Metro Cities** * Local – within Municipal City limits ** Metro- Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru.	3	Days
		Rest of India	5-7
1.4	Delivery of Speed Post articles	Local* and between Metro Cities** * Local – within Municipal City limits ** Metro- Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru.	2	Days
		Rest of India	4-6
1.5	International EMS articles	All International Mail articles are subject to customs examination. Period for customs examination/detention is not included in the service standards.	4-10	Days
2	Financial Services
2.1	Money Transfer	Time from booking to transfer / payment		Unit in Days /Minutes etc.
2.1.1	Instant Money Order payment on same day. (service available at specified offices)	Booking to transfer to payee post office	15	Minutes
		Payment on production of code and ID by receiver at the destination post office	20
2.1.2	Money Order	Local* and between Metro Cities** * Local – within Municipal City limits ** Metro- Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru.	3	Days
		Rest of India	4-6
2.2	Post Office Savings Bank
2.2.1	Opening of account, closing of account, withdrawal and deposit.	Please see Counter Services.
2.2.2	Transfer of Accounts (Please collect receipt issued at the time of acceptance of request)	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	1	Days
		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
2.2.3	Settlement of customer requests for : Deceased claims Issue of Duplicate Passbook Interest posting (in office other than Head Post Office)	Time taken for settlement starting from the time of receipt of completed documents.	7	Days
2.2.4	Savings Certificate Issue of Savings Certificate Discharge of Savings Certificate at the post office of purchase.	Please see Counter Services.
2.2.5	Discharge of Savings Certificates at post office other than the office of purchase	Time taken from the receipt of application for discharge of certificates at the post office.	30	Days
2.2.6	Transfer of Savings Certificates	Time taken from the receipt of application for transfer at the post office.	30	Days
2.2.7	Issue of Duplicate Certificate	Time taken from the receipt of application along with required documents: at the post office of issue of the Certificate.	30	Days
2.3	Postal Life Insurance and Rural Postal Life Insurance
2.3.1	Acceptance Letter Issue of Policy Bond	Time taken from the receipt of completed documents	15	Days
2.3.2	Settlement on Maturity of policy		30
2.3.3	Settlement of PLI/RPLI death claims	With nomination	30	Days
		Without nomination – (time taken after production of required documents.)	30
		Involving investigation	90
2.3.4	Transfer of policy from one Circle to another	Time taken from the receipt of completed documents	10	Days
2.3.5	Paid up Value of policy	Time taken for settlement on receipt of request	30	Days
2.3.6	Revival of policy Conversion of policy	Time taken from receipt of request	15	Days
2.3.7	Settlement 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 request	10	Days
2.3.8	To issue license for Franking Machines	Time taken for grant of license on receipt of request	10	Days
2.3.9	To renew license for Franking Machines	Time taken for grant of license on receipt of request	5	Days
3	Counter Services
3.1	Sale of Stamps and Stationary	Transaction time at the counter (excluding waiting time in queue)	3	Minutes
3.2	Booking of articles: Registered, Speed Post, Value Payable, Insured, Money Order, eMO, Premia collection for PLI/RPLI, sale of forms and bill collection.	Transaction time at the counter (excluding waiting time in queue)	5	Minutes
3.3	Philately services are available atPhilately Bureaux / Counters in limited post offices	No time norm could be hard and fast prescribed here for completing transactions as customers take their own time to choose and select products. Yet it is expected that the transaction would be concluded by the customer within a day.	1	Day
3.4	Savings Bank and Savings Certificate Transactions:Deposit, Withdrawals, updation of pass book	Transaction time at the counter (excluding waiting time in queue)	5	Minutes
3.5	Savings Bank and Savings Certificate Transactions:Opening of Account, Closure of Accounts, Issuance of Certificates, Discharge of Certificate	Transaction time at the counter (excluding waiting time in queue)	15	Minutes
B	Service Standards of various services for Branch Post Offices
4	Transactions for which the Branch Post Office is authorized
4.1	Sale of Stamps and stationery	Transaction Time at Branch Post Office	3	Minutes
4.2	Miscellaneous Services: Booking of Registered Articles Booking of Money Orders Collection and Payment of PLI premia Post Office Savings Bank Deposit Post Office Savings Bank Withdrawals up to Rs. 5000/-, etc.	Transaction Time at Branch Post Office	10	Minutes
5	Transaction which are required to be authorized / routed through the Account Office
5.1	Transaction which are required to be authorized / routed through the Account Office e.g. : Withdrawals 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 the transaction. (Includes processing time at the Account office.) Add 5 days to each of the corresponding service standards for Departmental Post Offices.	+ 6 days in addition to the relevant service standards declared for authorized Branch Post Offices.	Days
C	Service Standards of Public Grievance Redress
6.1	Issue of Acknowledgement of complaint. (Instantaneous in case of web registration)	Time from lodging of complaint at Customer Care Centre	1	Day
		Time from lodging of complaint By post or other means	7	Days
6.2	Settlement of Complaints	Time from lodging of complaint	60	Days
6.3	Settlement of complaint in cases requiring investigation	Time from lodging of complaint	90	Days
D	Miscellaneous
D.1	Expectations from Service Recipients
1	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 the name of the delivery Branch Post Office of the addressee. Phone number of the sender and addressee (optional).
1.2	To conform to packing, size and content requirements for registered and Insured articles and parcels click here
1.3	To comply with instructions for articles prohibited by Post click here
1.4	To affix correct amount of postage on mail articles.
1.5	To provide Mail Box on the ground floor for each address in the multi storied building.
1.6	To notify the delivery post office of the change of address and provide the forwarding address.
1.7	To give proper authorization to his/her representative for receiving delivery of registered , insured, money orders and Speed Post etc. in his/her absence.
2	Money Order/Mails Services
2.1	To cooperate by producing ID on demand by Postmen or at the counter.
2.2	To insist on obtaining receipts for articles and money orders booked.
3	Savings Bank / Cash Certificate Services
3.1	To provide Know Your Customer (KYC) documents as prescribed.
3.2	To 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.
3.3	To keep pass book updated and secure. Obtain receipt if passbook is handed over to the post office. Check that the last balance in the Pass Book matches with that written in the receipt.
3.4	To make nominations for all Post Office Savings Bank Accounts, Savings Certificates, Postal Life Insurance and Rural Postal Life Insurance.
4	Financial Services
4.1	Not to disclose the code numbers of instant money orders and MO Videsh communicated by the Post Office to any person other than the recipient.
4.2	To bring the officially valid ID for iMO payments.
5	Savings Bank / Cash Certificate/Postal Life Insurance Services
5.1	To collect receipt when handing over requests for transfer or deceased claim cases.
6	General / Public Grievance Redress Services
6.1	To lodge a complaint within 60 days of the transaction/availing of a service, relating to any deficiency in service.
D.2	Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) in the Department of Posts
When to lodge the complaints		Complaints are to be lodged within 60 days of the 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 the number of days in the prescribed service standard is over.
Where to lodge the Complaints		Complaints and Suggestion Book for complaints pertaining to services in the 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 at  www.pgportal.gov.in By hand or by Post at: any of the 11,103 Sevottam Compliant Customer Care Centers in the 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 the office of booking. ( Some cases will involve payment of charges) Complaints for PLI /RPLI can be handed or posted to the 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 the forms to capture all the details. In other cases complete information needs to be given with reference to the transaction, service failure and proof of transaction.
Acknowledgement of Complaints		Complaints lodged on the web will be acknowledged instantaneously. Complaints handed in person at the Customer Care Centre will be acknowledged at the time of handing. In other cases acknowledgement will be sent in 7 days.
Time for redress		60 days Complaints requiring investigations 90 days.
Escalation of complaints not redressed within stipulated time		In case the complaint is not redressed in time or to the satisfaction of the customer the complaint may be taken up with the Postmaster General of the Region or the Chief Postmaster General of the Circle.
Nodal officer for handling grievances at HQ level		DDG (PG), Department of Posts, Dak Bhavan, New Delhi. 110001. email –ddgpgq@indiapost.gov.in
List of Responsibility Centers
Department of Posts (DOP) does not have responsibility Centers i.e. Boards, Trusts or PSUs. This has been reflected in the Results Framework Document (RFD) of the DOP.
Date of next Review
The Citizen’s charter is issued in 2012 after consultation with stakeholders. The next review date is due in August, 2013.
Working Group for Citizen’s/Client’s Charter (WGCC) and Various Stakeholders sharing views during the Review of Citizen’s/Client’s Charter of the Department of Posts