Dear Comrades,
NEW DELHI: The courier and express industry has demanded postal services wing
of the Department of Post be hived off under the proposed reforms to create a
level-playing field in the sector.
"On behalf of industry, we have proposed to government that postal services
wing should be separated from policy and regultaory wing of the Department of
Post for creating level playing in the industry," Additional Director at
industry body FICCI Rajpal Singh told media.
He added that this separation should be in line with transformation at the Department
of Telecom where a department of service was created within the ministry and
later BSNL was created.
"We want this proposal should be part of new Post Office Bill," Singh
said.
Before opening up of telecommunications sector for private players, telecom
services were being provided by the government. In 1997, Telecom
Regulatory Authority of India was created to keep watch on services within
industry and make policy recommendations independently for benefit of
consumers.
In year 2000, BSNL was created as a separate entity to provide telecom
services to public.
On similar lines, industry representative say that they have proposed to
government creating separate division of DoP that they hope will give level
playing field to private players.
There is proposal to recognise service of private courier companies which
under existing rules of the Indian
Post Office Act 1898 was forbidden.
"We welcome the registration of the Courier companies, as this will surely
have a binding on the courier companies to work with fair business practices and
consumer's interest will be safe," Delhi Courier Club Joint Secretary Manoj
Saxena, who is also Director of DartMail, said.
"We are also in favor of the Regulatory Body, which will monitor the
practices of the courier industry. This should be an independent body and should
not be governed by the DOP," Saxena said.
The Post Office Bill is under discussion and the industry expects that the
Ministry will hold meeting with them before taking final decision.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com
