Contains information on all items of business transacted in P.O except of Savings Bank. Two new sections Philately and PLI have been added to this volume.
· The Postal Department is under the administrative control of Director General of Posts, New Delhi. The D.G also functions as the chairman of the Posta Board and Secretary of the Department of Post. We have 16 Circles.
· Andhra Pradesh Circle consists of AP and Yanam (Pondichery UT) H.Q. Hyderabad
· Northeastern Circle consists of Assam, Manipur, NEFA, Tirpura, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, H.Q at Shilong
· Gujarat Circle consists of Gujarat and Diu and Daman (UT) H.Q. Ahemdabad
· Kerala circle consists of Kerala and Laccadive Island H.q. Thiruvanthapuram
· Maharastra consists of Maharastra and Goa H.q Mumbai
· Tamilnadu consists of Tamilnadu and Podichery (UT) H.q. chennai
· West Bengal Circle consists of West Begal and Andamon Nicobar H.q. Calcutta
· North Western circle consists of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana and Chanigarh H.q at Ambala
The Head of the Army Postal Services is the Director, Army Postal Services, Army Headquarters, Q.M.G.’s Branch, New Delhi-11.
Value-payable articles and money orders will not be booked to the address of Army Post Offices.
Night Post Offices: The Director-General may extend the working hours of any post
office up to 8:30 P.M and keep them open on Sundays also. (Clause-3)
Mobile Post offices – Mobile Post Offices are functioning at Bombay, Calcutta, Delhi, Madras, Ahmedabad, Nagpur, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Kanpur, Poona, Jaipur and Bhilai Industrial Township. These Mobile Post Offices are intended to provide the facility of late posting in the different areas of the cities at different timings according to a fixed schedule (excluding insured and V.P.). “These offices remain closed on Sundays and Postal Holidays.” The mobile Post Offices at Madras and Nagpur are also permitted to book money orders. (Clause-4)
Business Hours: (Clause 5 and 7)
Post Offices in charge of extra-departmental agents are kept open for a maximum period of five hours only. Except the Night Post Offices all post offices Mobile Post Offices are generally closed on Sundays and PO Holidays and no business transacted with the public. There is also no clearance of street letter post boxes delivery of mails on such days. Registered newspapers and packets of registered news papers are accepted on Sundays and PO holidays without payment of any late fee in Press Sorting Offices, R.M.S. offices and at Night Post Offices.
Franking Machine: A commission of 3% is permitted on the value of Franks used. For being recognized valid, the impressions of ‘frank’ should consist of the following dies:-
(a) Value Die and (b) License Die.
Machine franked articles can be posted at not more than two offices specified by SPO in the license. The franked articles will be tendered at the counter bundled in separate bundles according to the value of the franks and each consignment must be accompanied by a Window Delivery Ticket for identification of the licensee’s representative. With the last dispatch of the day or on the close of the business hours of the day, the licensee will be required to tender at the office of posting a Daily Docket (in the prescribed form) duly filled in, signed and dated. Franked articles should be on the right top corner on the address side of the article itself or an address wrapper or an address label firmly attached to it. Machine franked articles posted in letter boxes shall be treated as unpaid articles. The licensee will pay in advance a sum representing the amount of postage for which he wishes the machine must not be less than 100 and more than Rs. 50000/-. ( FM Clause 5 to 11)
The facility of pre-payment of postage in cash is also available at selected Gazetted and H.s.G. Post Offices to Firms or business establishments who post not less than 500 articles at a time in respect of letters (closed covers). Inland Letter Cards, Post Cards and un-registered parcels.
The manufacture and use of fictitious postage stamps for any purpose whatsoever is prohibited, and is an offence punishable under Section 263-A of the Indian Penal Code.
Coin, bullion, precious stones, jewellery, articles of gold or silver and currency or Bank Notes, can be sent by the Inland Post, only insured.
Certificate of Posting: The object in granting certificates of posting is to afford the public an assurance that letters and other articles entrusted to servants or messengers for posting have actually been posted. It must be clearly understood that the articles in respect of which such certificates are issued are not registered and that they are treated in exactly the same manner as if they had been posted in a letter box. In the event of loss, damage or delay, the certificates will confer no claim for compensation, nor do they furnish any proof of the nature of the contents. The certificate must contain an exact copy of the addresses on the articles to which it relates and must have a postage stamp, or stamps affixed thereto in payment of the prescribed fee. Impression of a licensed franking machine will be accepted. No more than three articles should be entered in a single certificate and each certificate should be presented along with the articles entered in it. Certificates of postings are not granted in respect of letters posted in train and steamer letter boxes and for redirected articles. (Clause32 and 33)
An application for the recall or alteration of address of a postal article in the course of transmission shall be accompanied by the prescribed fee of Rs. 6/- in the shape of Postage Stamps affixed. Where the application is in respect of an insured or registered article, it shall also be accompanied by a copy of the original receipt granted by the post office. (Clause 34)
The Registered or Insured articles shall be detained in the post office for a period not
Exceeding 7 days from the date of its presentation to the addressee or from the date it is last sent out for delivery as the case may be.
When the addressee of a registered or an insured article is a pardanashin woman who has not an agent appointed in writing to take delivery of such article on her behalf her signature (or mark, if she is illiterate) will have to be attested by a respectable witness (ordinarily a relative known as such to the postman), and the article will be delivered to the witness.
A parcel which does not exceed 10 Kg. in weight (except Value-payable parcel and those addressed to Poste Restante) will be issued for delivery only once and if it cannot be delivered through any cause on first presentation by the postman it will be brought back to the post office and will not be issued again for delivery. A notice of arrival of the parcel will, however, be issued at the next delivery through the postman to the addressee for taking delivery of the parcel either personally or by an agent or messenger authorized for the purpose. A parcel weighing above 10 kilograms in weight will be delivered only at the post office window.
An article insured for any sum not exceeding Rs. 500 will be delivered in the ordinary manner. An article insured for more than Rs. 500 will be delivered only at the Post Office window, intimation of arrival being sent by the post office to the addressee.
If the amount to be recovered on a value payable article exceeds Rs. 100 an intimation of its arrival will be sent by the office of destination to the addressee. Such article will be delivered at the post office on payment of the amount entered in the form or receipt on the reverse of the intimation in cash and on presentation at the post office of the intimation with the receipt on the reverse duly signed. If the amount to be recovered on a value-payable article does not exceed Rs. 100, the article will be delivered to the addressee or his agent authorized in writing by the postman at the addressee’s residence on payment of the amount recoverable and on the addressee or his agent authorized in writing signing the receipt on the reverse of the intimation presented with the article.
Articles on which customs duty to be recovered is in excess of Rs. 50 are ordinarily delivered at the post office window, except in the case of Presidency and all the post office window, except in the case of Presidency and all First Class head Offices where this limit is fixed at Rs. 100
Money Orders: A payee cannot have payment of money orders both by cheque and by postal pay order. A money order exceeding Rs. 500 is not normally paid by the Village Postman. In certain cases money orders up to Rupees 2000 are paid by the village Postman.
Post Boxes / Post Bags: Only fully prepaid unregistered articles of the letter mail, namely letters, inland letter cards, postcards, aerogrammes, registered newspapers, books, of the post bearing the Post Box No. are delivered through post box. In the event of renter of a post box changing his business address or shifting his office to another place, he should invariably inform the Postmaster of the change within seven days of such change. If the lock and key are not surrendered by the renter to the Postmaster within 15 days of the expiry of the period of rent or the renting of the box is not renewed within the aforesaid period, the deposit will be forfeited. The period of rental of a post box commences from the first day of month in which the post box is allotted and the period of renewal of rental commences from the first day of the month immediately succeeding the period of previous rental. The system of delivery of Postal articles in a bag, which along with a lock and duplicate key is to be supplied by the renter, is available at all delivery post offices, whether post box system is available there or not. ) locked post bags with the postal articles placed inside the bag is handed over to the renter or his messenger over the counter on the production of the delivery ticket during the hours prescribed for making window delivery.
Identity Card: A fee of Rs. 6/- is charged for the issue of a card and it is valid for three years from the date of issue. (Clause63)
All articles superscribed “To be kept till called for”, “To await arrival”, or in any similar way, and also articles addressed “Post Office” are held to fall under the head “Poste Restante”. A Poste Restante article (except value payable for 7 days only) is kept in the post office to which it is addressed for a period not exceeding one month. Articles, the addresses of which are so illegible or incomplete as to render delivery impossible or whose wrappers get lost or detached, are sent at once to the Returned
Letter Office for disposal.
(i) Complaints relating to money orders and V.P. articles: 12 months from the date of issue of the money order, or booking of the V.P. article (2 years in the case of money orders issued at field Post Offices) and family allotment money orders remitted on behalf of seamen working in Indian merchanships.
(ii) Complaints relating to loss or damage to a registered or insured article where a claim for
compensation is made : Three months from the date of posting of the article.
(iii) Other complaints relating to the inland post. Six months from the date of the incident.
(iv) Refund of telegraph charges on T.M.Os. Two months from the date of issue of the T.M.O.s
(v) Complaints, regarding miscarriage, loss or destruction of postal orders.Twelve months from the last day of the month of issue.
Post Office Monopoly in the conveyance of letters. – (i) Under the Post Office Act, the exclusive privilege of carrying all letters and postcards within India, along with the incidental services of collecting, delivering, etc., is reserved to the Central Government and is exercised through the Post Office. The Indian Post Office is exempted by law from all responsibility in the case of (1) loss, misdelivery or delay of, or damage to, any postal article in course of transmission by post and (2) wrong payment of delay in payment by Foreign Postal Administration of money orders issued in India. In the case of money orders paid in India and of insured letters and parcels, the extent of the liability of the Indian Post Office will be found in the rules regarding these classes of business.
Articles addressed to deceased persons are ordinarily dealt with in the same manner as unclaimed articles. Postmasters are, however, authorized to exercise their discretion in delivering such articles to any near relative of the deceased who may have applied for them or who may desire to receive them, so long as the articles are uninsured and do not appear to contain any valuable property and there is no doubt as to the title of the applicant to receive such articles and there is no counter-claimant or likelihood of dispute.
First class and Second class Mails. – (1) Letters, post cards and letter cards are treated as first class mail; all other articles, such as Book Packets, Registered Newspapers, Pattern and sample packets and Blind literature packets are treated as articles of second class mail.
Limits of weight and size. – A letter should not weigh more than 2 Kg. It should also
conform to the following limits and size :-(i) Maximum limits
(a) In roll form: Single dimension . . . . 80 cm., Sum of length & twice diameter . . 100 cm.
(b) In other than roll form: Single dimension . . . . 60 cm, Sum of length, breadth and depth combined 90 cm.
(ii) Minimum Limits : (a) In roll form, Single dimension . . . 10 cm, Sum of length & twice diameter . . 17 cm.
(b) In other than roll form . . 11 cm x 7 cm.
EXCEPTION: Items measuring less than the minimum prescribed may be transmitted provided they bear a rectangular address label of cardboard or strong paper of which the two adjacent sides together measure not less than 16 cm, and the smaller side is not less than 4 cm.
Letter Cards of Private Manufacture. – Privately printed letter cards are permitted provided they conform to the following specifications:-
(a) The weight of a letter card should not exceed three grams,
(b) The dimensions of a letter card, when unfolded or folded, are within the following
limits: UNFOLDED : Maximum - 30 cm.x 21 cm, Minimum - 20 cm. x 14 cm.
Flaps. – Not exceeding 2.5. cm. x 12.5 cm. on one side and 1.5 cm. x 7.5 cm. on the other.
FOLDED. Maximum - 15 cm. x 10.5 cm., Minimum - 10 cm. x 7 cm
The following rates shall be chargeable on the delivery of inland letter cards on which
the postage is not prepaid or is insufficiently prepaid:
On an unpaid letter card; Double the prepaid rate
On an insufficiently paid Letter card: Double the deficiency
POST CARDS: Single and reply cards of private manufacture may be transmitted by post as post-cards provided that the postage is prepaid in full; that their dimensions are not greater than 15 cm. by 10.5 cm. or less than 10 cm. by 7 cm. and that, as regards substance, they are neither thinner nor more flexible than the inland postcards issued by the Post Office. (Clause110 to 111)
Nothing may be attached to post card except. -
(a) Stamps in payment of postag or other postal fees or stamp duty;
(b) a gummed label completely adhered to the card, and bearing the name and address of
the person to whom the card is sent;
(c) a similar label not exceeding 5 cm in length and 1.8 cm in width bearing the name and
address of the sender of the card; and
(d) Engravings, illustrations, drawings and photographs on very thin paper and completely
adherent to the card.
(e) Another Postcard intended for a reply from the addressee either properly stitched or
otherwise securely attached to the post card, without obstructing the address of the
addressee on the post-card.
Should a post-card be posted unpaid or insufficiently paid it shall be taxed on delivery with double the pre-paid rate or double the deficiency as the case may be and unpaid or insufficiently paid Reply Post card will be taxed with double the pre-paid rate or double the deficiency as the case may be on the original half only. Should any of the other conditions imposed by clauses 110 and 111 and the conditions regarding the size and thickness be infringed, the Post card shall be treated as a letter. If an inland post card be addressed to a country served by the foreign Post, it will be treated as insufficiently paid post card and returned to the sender, if the address is available, otherwise forwarded to the RLO
BOOK PACKETS: Book packet may contain (1) Newspapers, publications of all kinds, printed music books, paper, parchment and cardboard either blank or printed. Court summons, notices and similar documents issued by a Criminal or Civil Court whether sent from the court of issue or, returned to it direct, or through the medium of another court, Government Office or railway administration, as well as Police diaries cannot be sent at book-packed rates. As an exception, however, Book Packets containing only Greeting cards or printed invitations are given surface transmission along with First Class mails and Registered newspapers. No communication of the nature of a letter or having the character of a personal communication may be enclosed in or written upon a book packet except to the extent specified in clause 120.No card bearing the heading “Postcard” shall be transmitted open as a book packet. A book packet shall not contain “Paper-money” which for the purposes of this clause includes unobliterated postage or other stamps, currency notes, bundles, cheques bank- notes, bankpost bills, bills of exchange, and all orders of authorities for the payment of money; provided that a book packet may contain one stamped and addressed envelope postcard or wrapper bearing the name and address of the sender of the packet, or some other person named thereon.
The weight of a book packet shall not exceed 5 Kilograms. A book packet must be posted without a cover or in an unfastened envelope or in a cover which can be easily removed for the purpose of examination without breaking any seal or tearing any paper or separating any adhering surfaces. If a book packet to which sub-clause (2) does not apply is found to contain anything not permitted by the rules or to be packed in a manner not in accordance with rules, it shall be charged on delivery with the letter or parcel postage, whichever may be less provided that the conditions subject to which such postage can be charged are also fulfilled. Any postage paid on it shall be taken into account in assessing the charge; but the amount charged under this sub-clause shall in no case be less than 25 paise. (Clause119 to 127)
BOOK PACKETS CONTAINING PRINTED BOOKS : (i) The special rates in respect of a book packet containing printed
books shall be applicable only if the following conditions are satisfied :-
(a) such book packet shall not contain any publication published at regular intervals;
(b) such book packet shall bear on the outside the inscription “Printed books
(c) Each book in such book packet shall consist of printed matter, but shall not contain any
advertisements other than incidental announcements or list of books.
(d) each book in such book packet shall contain the name of the printer or publisher;
(e) No book in such book packet shall bear any character or inscription reproduced by any means other than printing
BOOK PACKETS CONTAINING PERIODICALS : The special rates of postage in respect of a book packet containing periodicals shall be
applicable only if the following conditions are satisfied :-
(a) That it is registered with the Registrar of Newspapers in India under the Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867 (25 of 1867).
(b) That the periodical bears in rprint in any convenient place, either on the first or last page thereof, the superscription “Registered with the Registrar of Newspapers for India
under No. __________________’.
“BLIND LITERATURE” PACKETS: (1) Blind literature packets are exempted from payment of the following fees besides being exempt from the payment of postage.
(i) Registration fee.
(ii) Fee for acknowledgement
(iii) Fee for the attested copy of the receipt.
(2) Postage free blind literature packets will be transmitted by surface route only, any if
they are to be sent by air, the airmail charge as prescribed for packets has to be paid.No blind literature packet may weight more than 7 kilograms.
Blind literature packets are subject to the same limits of dimensions as book packets.
REGISTERED NEWSPAPERS: “Every publication, consisting wholly or in great part of political or other news or of articles relating thereto, or to other current topics, with or without advertisements, shall be deemed a newspaper, subject to the following conditions, namely
(1) that it is published in numbers at intervals of not more than thirty one days; and
(2) that it has a bonafide list of subscribers.
An extra or supplement to a newspaper, bearing the same date as the newspaper and
transmitted therewith, shall be deemed to be part of the newspaper provided that no such extra or supplement shall be so deemed. An advertisement sheet printed for an advertiser and sent to the publisher of a newspaper for distribution with it and any document drawn up in the form of a direct personal communication to the recipient are treated as Book Pocket. Every copy or bundle of copies of the newspaper shall be posted without a wrapper, or with a wrapper open both ends which can be easily removed for an inspection of the newspaper. The registration number shall not be printed on the wrapper. The packets shall not be delivered at the addressee’s residence but shall be handed over to the addressee or his recognized agent at the office of destination. The addressee or his agent shall call and take delivery of the packet at the window of the post office or mail office or from the RMS Van.
News papers may be posted without of postage stamps if posted more than 500 copies at a time and in case of News Papers which carries stamps of 15 paise only, the minimum nuber of copies to be posted is 100.
Daily News Paper – Amount to cover the cost of one month’s posting
Weekly News Paper- the Cost of ten weeks posting
Fortnightly News Paper: The cost of two and half months posting
Monthly News Paper: The cost of two months posting.
PARCELS: Anything may be sent in a parcel excepting articles the transmission of which is prohibited. Taxing of inadmissible communications found inside an official parcel will be governed by clause 199. Weight and size. – (1) The weight of an un-registered parcel should not exceed 4 kilograms (4000 grams); the weight of a registered parcel should not exceed (a) 10 Kilograms if posted at or addressed to, a branch post office; and (b) 20 kilograms in other cases. The length of a parcel should not exceed 1 metre and the length and girth combined should not exceed 1.80 metres.
AIR MAIL SERVICE: Articles given air-lift. – All First Class mails and money order are given air transmission as a matter of course, without payment of any additional air fee, wherever such air conveyance is available and would be advantageous. Other classes of mails, viz., book, sample and patter packets, registered newspapers, blind literature packets and parcels will be required to be paid with the requisite air surcharge, if they are to be given air transmission. As a special case, all classes of mails for and from Agartala (Tripura State) are given air conveyance between Agartala and Calcutta, and Agartala and airports in Assam without any air surcharge.
REGISTRATION: . Cases in which registration is compulsory.
(1) Registration is obligatory in the case of –
(a) Any parcel exceeding 4 kilograms in weight.
(b) any insured article.
(c) Any parcel addressed to a place for which a customs declaration is required.(d) Any article containing postage or other stamps or labels, or a cheque, hundi, bank note,
bankpost bill, bill-o f-exchange, or the like, if the contents are either superscribed upon
the cover or are known or manifest to the officers of the Post Office owing to the transparency, insecurity or insufficiency of the cover or to any other cause.
(e) Any article bearing the word “registered” or any other word, phrase or mark to the like effect, written or impressed on the cover.
(f) Any registered article which is re-posted after having been delivered.
(g) Any value-payable article
2. Twice the fee for registration will be levied on the delivery of any postal article required under this clause to be registered on which the fee for registration has not been prepaid. If fee for registration has been partly prepaid, twice the difference between the fee payable and the amount actually paid will be levied.
Compensation. – The Head of the Circle may grant to the sender, or at his request to the addressee solely as an act of grace, and not in consequence of any legal liability compensation up to a limit of Rs.50 for the loss of any inland letter, packet or parcel, or its contents or for any damage caused to it in course of transmission by post, subject to the following conditions :-
(a) That the prescribed registration fee shall have been prepaid in addition to the postage.
(b) That the application for compensation shall have been made within three months of the
date of posting of the article in the case of loss of the article, and within one month of the date of delivery of the article in the case of loss of contents or damage.
(c) That the amount of compensation shall not exceed the actual amount of the loss or
damage and that such amount can be referred directly to some loss or damage.
No compensation will be given in cases in which the registered article contained anything the insurance of which is obligatory or which is not allowed to be sent in a letter, packet or parcel as the case may be.
In no case will compensation be given on account of postage, registration or packing charges.
The period of three months prescribed in clause 170(i) shall be extended to one year in the case of V.P. articles as laid down in clause 197 and to six months in the case of registered articles addressed to or sent by members and units of Armed Forces
INSURANCE : Registered letters , VPL, Regd Parcels and VPP may be insured up to the value of Rs. 100000/- where currency are dispatched by insured post the value shall not exceed Rs 20000/-.Registered articles to and from Army Post Offices may be insured upto the value of Rs.500/ - each. The sender of the insured article is entitled to obtain, free of charge, an acknowledgement of its delivery signed by the addressee or his authorized agent. The fee of two rupees imposed under this rule will be recovered from the sender if the article is refused by the addressee or the addressee cannot be found.
VALUE PAYABLE ARTICLES: The value payable system is designed to meet the requirements of persons which wish to pay for articles sent to them at the time of receipt of the articles of of the bills or railway receipts relating to them, and also to meet the requirements of traders and others who wish to recover through the agency of the Post Office the value of article supplied by them. Registered parcels, registered letters, registered bookpackets and newspapers prepaid with postage of newspaper rates of postage and with registration fee may be transmitted by the inland post as value payable postal articles, provided that the amount specified for remittance to the sender in the case of any such postal article does not exceed Rs. 5,000. : If the 7t h day following the date on which the article has been presented or intimation of its arrival has been delivered to the addressee or his accredited agent, falls on a Sunday or Post Office holiday , the article will be detained until the next working day and no demurrage will be charged for the extra days.
If the last day of the period for which the addressee has asked for the detention of the article beyond the first 7 days falls on a Sunday or Post Office holidays, the article will be detained till the next working day and no demurrage will be charged for the additional detention on account of the Sunday or Post Office holiday. In the case of an article sent out for delivery through a village postman, the period of 7 days will be counted from the date of the intimation of its arrival to the addressee or to his accredited agent.
MONEY ORDERS: A “Money Order” is an order issued by the Post Office for the payment of a sum of money through the agency of the Post Office. All post offices are money order offices except those that are distinguished by the letter D against their names in the list of Post Offices published in Part III of P.O Guide. The amount for which a single money order may be issued must not Rs. 5000/-.If the payee of a money order ha s moved from the place at which the order was originally payable, and has left written instructions with the post office for the redirection of articles to his address, the money order will be re-directed and will be payable at the revised address without any extra charge if the office of payment by an Indian Post Office. If an inland money order is re-directed to a foreign country the differences between the commission at the foreign rate that would have been chargeable if the money order had originally been drawn in a post office of that country and the commission at the inland rate already paid will be deducted from the amount of the re-directed order when it is advised to be country of destination.
In the case of a money order in excess of the limit prescribed for remittance to a foreign country under any law or regulation in force at the time of such redirection, the remitter or the payee should obtain payment of the amount of the money order in India either personally or through a duly authorized agent or furnish the authority of the reserve Bank of India permitting the remittance of the amount of the money order out of India by means of a foreign money order.
Alteration in address or place of payment be made without additional charge on the remitter applying in writing to the Post Office at which the order was issued and producing the receipt. Alteration of payee’s name on payment of a second commission equal to the first, on the remitter applying in writing to the post office at which the order was issued and producing the receipt.
Void Money Orders. – If payment of a money order to the payee cannot be effected and the amount cannot be repaid to the remitter owing to the latter not being found, the order will
become void and its value be credited to the Central Government
PHILETELY :
| Indian Postal Orders: If an Indian Postal Order is not presented for payment within six months from the last day of the month of issue a second commission at the rates prescribed will be charged which must be paid in postage stamps affixed to the back of the order. Those authorized to use them may pay the second commission in Service Postage Stamps. Indian Postal Orders presented for payment more than twelve months after the last days of the month of issue will not be paid but will be forfeited. What is the term describes collection of stamps, cover and other related items | Philately |
| Which country of the UPU is the only country not required to name itself on postage stamp? | UK |
| World’s most valuable stamp | British Guiana |
| who invented the aforementioned penny black | Sir Rowland Hill |
| What does the term ‘dead country’ mean in philately? | A former stamp-issuing entity that has ceased to issue its own stamps |
| The Most Visible Indian in the World of Stamps | Mahatma Gandhi |
| Outside India, it was the --------- that became the first country to issue Gandhi stamps. On January 26, 1961, | United States
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| The Post Office Act XVII of 1837 provided that the --------------------in Council had the exclusive right of conveying letters by post for hire within the territories of the East IndiaCompany. | Governor-General ofIndia |
| The first stamps valid for postage throughout India were placed on sale | October 1854 |
| The first pictorial stamps appeared in | 1931 |
| The printing of stamps at Nasik began in | 1925 |
| The First Stamp of Independent India was issued on the | 21st of November, 1947 |
| `The National Philatelic Museum of India was inaugurated on 6 July 1968 in | New Delhi |
| Which person has served as Postmaster General of the United States? | Benjamin Franklin |
| What is the difference between a commemorative and a definitive stamp? | Commemoratives honor a particular person, place or event and definitive stamp is a regular stamp |
| The first collector by purchasing the first postage stamp on the date of its issue May 1, 1840 | Dr. John Edward Gray |
| The first multi-coloured stamps of the world were printed in India in 1854 by the East India Company, | portrait of QueenVictoria |
| The first series of commemorative stamps of India were the Air Mail stamps issued in | 1929 |
| The Philatelic Society if India, was established.. | 1897 in Calcutta |
| Which country's first stamp was called the 'Scinde Dawk'? More info: The name derives from the words 'Scinde', meaning Sindh, and 'Dawk', the anglicized form of the word 'Dak' or Post. | India |
| Who was the first Indian leader to be honored with a stamp The account can be opened with a minimum deposit of Rs. 200/- paid in cash, by M.O. or by cheque/bank draft encasheable in India. | |
Postal Life Insurance:
Postal life insurance was introduced on 1-2-1884 as a welfare measure for the benefit of Postal employees and now the scheme covers the employees.
The upper limit of life insurance was only Rs 4000/- which has now increased to Rs 10 lacs (Rupees Ten Lacs) for all schemes. PLI is an exempted insurer under Section 118 (c) of the Insurance Act of 1938. It is also exempted under Section 44 (d) of LIC Act, 1956.
| PLI offers 7 (Seven) types of plans: - Whole Life Assurance (SURAKSHA)
- Convertible Whole Life Assurance (SUVIDHA)
- Endowment Assurance (SANTOSH)
- Anticipated Endowment Assurance (SUMANGAL)
- Joint Life Assurance (YUGAL SURAKSHA)
- Scheme for Physically handicapped persons
- Children Policy
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| WHOLE LIFE ASSURANCE:
This is a scheme where the assured amount with accrued bonus is payable to the assignee, nominee or the legal heir after death of the insurant. Minimum Age at entry is 19 years and the maximum Age at entry is 55 years. The minimum Sum Assured is Rs 20,000 and the maximum Sum Assured is Rs 10 lacs. The policy can be converted into an Endowment Assurance Policy after completion of one year and before 57 years of age of the insurant. Loan facility is available after completion of four years and policy can also be surrendered after completion of three years. The policy is not eligible for bonus if surrendered or assigned for loan before completion of 5 years. Proportionate bonus on the reduced sum assured is accrued if the policy is surrendered or assigned for loan. |
| ENDOWMENT ASSURANCE:
Under this scheme, the proponent is given an assurance to the extent of the Sum Assured and accrued bonus till he/she attains the pre-determined age of maturity. In case of unexpected death of the insurant, the assignee, nominee or the legal heir is paid the full Sum Assured together with the accrued bonus. The minimum age at entry is 19 years and the maximum Age at entry is 55 years. The minimum Sum Assured is Rs 20,000 and the maximum Sum Assured is Rs 10 lacs. Loan facility is available and policy can also be surrendered after completion of three years. The policy is not eligible for bonus if surrendered or assigned for loan before completion of 5 years. Proportionate bonus on the reduced sum assured is accrued if the policy is surrendered or assigned for loan. |
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| CONVERTIBLE WHOLE LIFE ASSURANCE:
The features of this scheme are more or less same as Endowment assurance. Policy can be converted into Endowment Assurance after five years. Age on the date of conversion must not exceed 55 years. If option for conversion is not exercised within 6 years, the policy will be treated as Whole Life Assurance. Loan facility is available. The policy can also be surrendered after completion of three years. The policy is not eligible for bonus if surrendered or assigned for loan before completion of 5 years. Proportionate bonus on the reduced sum assured is accrued if the policy is surrendered or assigned for loan. The policy is not eligible for bonus if surrendered or assigned for loan before completion of 5 years. Proportionate bonus on the reduced sum assured is accrued if the policy is surrendered or assigned for loan. |
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| ANTICIPATED ENDOWMENT ASSURANCE:
It is a Money Back Policy with maximum Sum Assured of Rs 5 lacs. Best suited to those who need periodical returns. Survival benefit is paid to the insurant periodically. Two types of policies are available - 15 years term and 20 years term. For the 15 years term policy, the benefits are paid after 6 years (20%), 9 years (20%), 12 years (20%) and 15 years (40% and the accrued bonus). For the 20 years term policy, the benefits are paid after 8 years (20%), 12 years (20%), 16 years (20%) and 20 years (40% and the accrued bonus). Such payments will not be taken into consideration in the event of unexpected death of the insurant and the full sum assured with accrued bonus is payable to the assignee or legal heir.
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| JOINT LIFE ASSURRANCE:
It is a joint-life Endowment Assurance in which one of the spouses should be eligible for PLI policies. Life insurance coverage is provided to both the spouses to the extent of sum assured with accrued bonus with only one premium. All other features are same as an Endowment policy.
All the above schemes have compulsory medical examination. For the non-medical policy of any category (except AEA and Joint Life Assurance for which Medical Examination is compulsory), the maximum Sum Assured is Rs 1 lac.
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| SCHEME FOR PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED PERSONS:
The maximum limit of Insurance for Physically Handicapped persons in PLI is the same as others and he/she can take any one of the plans. Medical examination is compulsory under this scheme in order to determine the exact nature and extent of their handicap and its bearing on the life being insured. Depending upon the nature and extent of handicap, normal or a slightly higher premium is charged. |
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| CHILDREN POLICY
The Department has introduced Children Policy under PLI/RPLI, with effect form 20th Jan 2006. The salient features of this scheme are as under:- - The Scheme is envisaged to provide Insurance cover to the children of PLI/RPLI policy holders.
- Maximum two children in family will be eligible to take children policy.
- Children between the age of 5 and 20 years are eligible and maximum sum assured is Rs 1 lakh or equivalent to the sum assured of the main policy holder which ever is less.
- The main policy holder should not have attained the age of 45 years.
- No premium is required to be paid on the children policy on the death of the main policy holder and full sum assured with the accrued bonus shall be paid to the child after the completion of the term of the children policy. On the death of the child/children, full sum assured with the accrued bonus shall be payable to the main policy holder.
- Main policy holder shall be responsible for payments for the Children Policy. No loan shall be admissible on Children Policy. However, the policy shall have facility for making it paid up provided the premia are paid continuously for 5 years.
- No Medical examination of the Child is necessary. However, the child should be healthy on the day of proposal and the risk shall start from the date of acceptance of proposal.
- The policy shall attract bonus at the rate applicable to Endowment Policy. The POIF Rules amended from time to time shall be applicable to Children Policy.
A PLI/RPLI policy holder also gets following facilities : - Change of nomination.
- The insurant can take loan by pledging his/her policy to Heads of the Circle/Region on behalf of President of India, provided the policy has completed 3 years in case of Endowment Assurance and 4 years in case of Whole Life Assurance. The facility of assignment is also available.
- Assignment of Policy to any Financial Institution for taking loan.
- Revival of his/her lapsed policy. Policy lapses after 6 unpaid premiums if it remained in force for less than 3 years and after 12 unpaid premiums if it remained in force for more than 3 years.
- Issue of Duplicate Policy Bond in case of the original Policy Bond is lost, burnt/torn/mutilation.
- Conversion from Whole Life Assurance to Endowment Assurance and from Endowment Assurance to other Endowment Assurance as per rules.
- If the premia are not paid for 6 months in case policy is in currency for 3 years (or) 12 months in case policy is more than 3 years old, then the policy becomes void. This needs revival to make it active. Revival shall not be allowed on more than two occasions during the entire term of the policy. Policy can be revived any time one year before maturity. One can pay the premium in the subsequent month, by paying a minimum fine of Re. 1/- per hundred of sum assured. Loan can be taken from EA policy after completion of 3 years and in respect of Whole Life after completion of 4 years. Loan facility is available in AEA policies. Interest 10% p.a. Calculated on six monthly basis
- Loan entitlement is calculated on a prefixed proportion of these surrender value
- Interest should be paid on(or) before 21st of due month (i.e. 6 monthly once)
Endowment Assurance policy can be surrendered after 36 months. WLA policy can be surrendered after 48 months.Children policy can be surrendered after 60 months.No surrender for AEA policy. - Loan is admissible on Whole Life Assurance (WLA), Endowment Assurance (EA) and Convertible Whole Life Assurance (CWLA) policies.
- Currency of policy should be minimum of 3 years in case of EA and CWLA.
- Currency of policy should be minimum of four years in case of WLA.
- Policy should be unencumbered/ unassigned.
- Loan Limit:
| (a) Whole Life Assurance | | Currency of Policy | Percentage of surrender value on which loan is admissible | | More than 4 years to 7 years | 60% | | More than 7 years to 12 years | 80% | | More than 12 years | 90% | -
| (b) Endowment Assurance and Convertible Whole Life Assurance | | Currency of Policy | Percentage of surrender value on which loan is admissible | | More than 3 years to 5 years | 60% | | More than 5 years to 10 years | 80% | | More than 10 years | 90% | 7. Insurant should apply on LI-35 (loan application) and send to DDM (PLI) along with policy document and premium receipt book. - Second and subsequent loan is admissible after a year if the first loan is fully repaid.
- Loan interest @ 10% p.a is calculated on six monthly basis.
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