unications Minister to Reform India Post's Business Development Policy
The National Union of Postal Employees (NUPE), Postmen & MTS, has submitted a detailed representation to Union Minister for Communications Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, seeking his personal intervention to restore the service-oriented ethos of the Department of Posts, promote ethical business development practices, and strengthen India Post through policy reforms and product innovation.
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In its representation dated 24 July 2026, the union appreciated the Government's initiatives such as Project Arrow and the introduction of the Advanced Postal Technology (APT) platform, stating that these reforms have modernized postal operations and improved service delivery. However, the union expressed concern that excessive emphasis on business targets has gradually shifted the Department's focus away from its core mission of public service.
According to the union, frontline employees such as Postmen, Gramin Dak Sevaks (GDS), Postal Assistants (PA), and Sub Postmasters (SPM) are already performing their sanctioned duties based on scientifically determined workloads. Assigning aggressive marketing responsibilities without reducing their existing workload or creating a dedicated marketing cadre has placed significant pressure on employees.
The representation highlights that in several instances, employees reportedly feel compelled to open savings accounts in their own or family members' names, deposit their own money to keep accounts active, or purchase Postal Life Insurance (PLI) and Rural Postal Life Insurance (RPLI) policies using personal funds simply to meet business targets. The union argues that such practices neither generate genuine business nor reflect ethical marketing principles.
The union also questioned the practice of fixing account-opening targets based solely on the population served by a post office. It stated that factors such as demographics, existing banking penetration, local economic conditions, and customer preferences should be considered while determining realistic business targets. It further pointed out that India Post faces increasing competition from banks offering fully digital account opening and seamless online services, making product innovation and digital transformation essential.
Among its recommendations, NUPE has urged the Government to prohibit coercive practices for achieving business targets, introduce innovative POSB, PLI and RPLI products, strengthen digital banking services, establish a professionally trained marketing cadre, and adopt employee-friendly policies that safeguard the dignity and mental well-being of postal employees while ensuring sustainable business growth.
The union concluded by expressing confidence that under the leadership of the Communications Minister, India Post can successfully balance its commercial objectives with its historic mission of "Dak Seva, Jan Seva," ensuring that future business development is driven by innovation, customer satisfaction, and digital transformation rather than undue pressure on employees.
