No.34-01/2022-PO
Government of India
Department of Posts
(PO Division)
Dak Bhawan, Sansad Marg
New Deihi-110004
Dated: 24.08.2022
Subject- Promoting the adoption of QR Code -based payments in post offices
Reference: DGPS DO of even number dated 24th August, 2022
Download Post Office QR Code based Payments in PDF
This is regarding the urgent need for promoting the adoption of QR Code-based payments in post offices, and is further to the Director General Postal Services’ letter referred to above (copy attached at Annexure I)
2. Reference is also invited to PO Division’s letter of even number dated 22.08.2022 regarding the need to promote the widespread adoption of the functionality of Digital Payment through QR code system in the Post Office.
3. As directed by Director General Postal Services (DGPS) in the above referred DO letter, a two-week internal awareness drive named “Project Fast Track” for promotion of usage of QR Code for payments in post offices will be carried out across all Postal Circles during 5th to 16th September 2022. The Goal of this drive will be to activate all HOs and SOs (and as many BOs as possible) in carrying out QR code-based payments. The action plan for the drive is as under:-
3.1. Preparatory Steps to be carried out during 29th Aug to 2nd Sep 2022:-
A. DPS (HQ) of the Circles will be the Nodal Officers for the project/ campaign, as per directions of DGPS. The Nodal Officer will also work out plan/programme for implementing the campaign in the Circle and identify Officers/Officials at the different levels for success of the campaign, with the approval of CPMG.
B. Three levels of Workshop will be conducted as under:-
(i) PO Division will conduct a Workshop for Nodal Officers on 29.08.2022 through VC at 1100 hrs regarding the procedure to monitor the QR Code usage and other issues related to the campaign, especially regular monitoring. The identified knowledge inputs as required to operate and manage the QR Code payments facility will be shared during the Workshop.
(ii) The Nodal Officer will further arrange workshops and other appropriate activities for disseminating the requisite information to the concerned Officers/Officials i.e. Head of Division, ASP (HQ), Sub-Divisional Head, and other officials identified by the Circle, belonging to the different Regions/Divisions.
(iii) Division Office will arrange workshops, field visits, and other activities as required with the help of the concerned Officers/Officials i.e. Head of Division, ASP (HQ), Sub-Divisional Head, and other identified officials of the respective Postal Divisions to the officials working at every post office i.e. HO/BO/SO.
3.2. Implementation of the Campaign to be done during 5th to 16th Sep 2022 in all the Circles:-
A. Ensuring availability of QR code facility: The facility of QR code payment system shall be made available across all the post offices, without exception.
B. Promotion of QR Code paymentat different post offices: Two-week internal awareness campaign will be undertaken regarding the QR Code payment among the officers/officials of the field units. All the field officials upto the level of BOs) may be sensitized by the identified officers/officials of Circle, regarding use of QR codes in the payments of identified services by holding workshops (physical/virtual), visiting field units or by other ways deemed appropriate. Publicity about QR cade payment may be made by Press Note, publicity through focal PIB/CBC units, displaying posters or banners, in Melas, through postmen, and by stamp impressions on postal articles at the time of delivery etc. Besides, Circle may also proactive explore and employ other tools for promotion and publicity of QR Codes payments.
C. Activation of POs for QR code usage
The Goal of the campaign must be to activate each and every HO and SO (and as many BOs as possible) in the matter of utilising the QR code payment option on a daily basis. The Project Officer (i.e., DPS — HQ) will ensure that this goal is clearly conveyed to all concerned, and is achieved within the Campaign period. To ensure activation of every post offices during the campaign, the Nodal Officer is required to closely monitor the QR Code based activities through Dashboard.
D. Monitoring of usage of QR code facility at Circle /Region /Division — level Nodal Officer and other concerned Officers will review the progress in the usage of QR Code and redress the issues related in the operations of QR Code with the help of a Dashboard which may provide the relevant information with visibility up to the post office level. This Dashboard will be provided by CEPT, Mysuru. And further, the information about functionalities in Dashboard will be shared in VC.
4. It is therefore, requested that the DPS (HQ) of your Circle may be directed to take up action as above. It is further requested that necessary guidance be provided to DPS (HQ) to make campaign a success. Your kind attention is solicited at para 5 of the referred DGPS DO letter. Accordingly, it is requested to personally monitor the campaign and steer it towards the goal of activating every HO, SO (and as many BOs as possible) by the end of aforesaid two-week campaign.
D.O. No. 34-01/2022-PO Dated 24 August, 2022
This is regarding the urgent need for promoting the adoption of QR Code-based payments in post offices.
2. As you are aware, the functionality of Digital Payment through QR code system in post offices was introduced in April 2022. However, the utilisation of this mode payment as a percentage of the total payments done in post offices is seen to be dismally low. At a time when there is widespread adoption of mobile payment systems and QR code technology is being recognised as advantageous on many counts, the Department also needs to proactively move forward to capture this opportunity and reap its rewards.
3. The technological issues related to this payment mode which were reported in the early months of its launch have largely been resolved, and efforts are on to improve the ease of use of the facility. However, two areas where the Circles need to focus are: (i) lack of awareness about the facility among staff, and (ii) the limited success so far in motivating customers to make use of it. At the Directorate level, an important step has been taken to nominate the Postal Operations (PO) Division as the nodal Division to take care of all matters relating to promoting the adoption of QR Code-based payments the field units, to ensure smooth coordination among the various stake-holding units and to provide support to the Circles in the matter.
4. As you would agree, there is a need to move post-haste in the matter of promoting the adoption of QR Code based payments in post offices and other units. To kick start the efforts in this direction, it is decided to conduct a two-week internal awareness drive across all Postal Circles. Such an internal campaign can lay the foundation for a ‘digital payments culture’ in the post offices, covering both the staff and the customers, and further serve as the base for taking up further activities in future. The essential facts /features of the campaign are as follows:
(i) The campaign will be conducted during 5th to 16th September 2022, and will be cailed “Project Fast Track”.
(ii) The campaign will have the specific goal of activating all HOs and SOs and as many BOs as possible) into OR code based payments. At the end of the two-week campaign, it ts expected that all HOs and SOs will be offering QR-Code based payments facility to the customers, as reflected in transactions on a daily-basis.
(iii) DPS (HQ) of the Circles will be identified as the Nodal Officers for the project/ campaign.
(iv) The preparatory steps for the campaign need to be completed during the period from 29th Aug to 2nd Sep 2022.
(v) Division Heads, ASPs, IPOs and other officers identified by the Circle will need to to reach out to concerned staff across the post offices for awareness creation, based on plan/ programme finalised at Circle level. Apart from visits to field units, VCs/workshops may also be held wherever found necessary or advantageous.
(vi) The campaign may also be used as an opportunity to inform customers about the facility of QR code payment to be effected at the post offices, through posters/ banners. Further, appropriate Press Notes containing a statement about OR facility available in post offices to be put into the public domain through Circle, Region and Division Offices. Support of focal PIB/ CBC units (Ministry of I&B) may also be enlisted for publicity. It may be ensured that available Social Media channels are also utilised in this initiative.
5. Needless to say, the personal involvement and endorsement of the Head of the Circle is a critical factor for the success of an ambitious campaign of this nature, which essentially aims to usher in the digital cultural upto the last unit of the postal network. Accordingly, I would request you to personally monitor the campaign and steer it towards the goal of activating every HO and SO (and as many BOs as possible) in the matter of QR code based payments.
6. Detailed guidelines/ supporting inputs related to the campaign will be circulated by PO Division within the next two working days.
