India’s 1,65,000 post offices to go digital by August 4 in push to speed up delivery

New Delhi: More than 86,000 post offices across the country have gone digital and by August 4 this year the entire network of nearly 1,65,000 post offices will have migrated to the new platform as part of the reform initiative launched by the Centre to reposition India Post as a technology-driven, citizen-centric logistics and e-commerce enabler, according to an official statement issued on Wednesday. The technological transformation of India Post under the IT 2.0 framework is designed to introduce real-time track and trace capabilities, customised services for bulk customers, electronic proof of delivery, OTP-based authentication, digital payments, and open API integration, the statement said. In line with industry's best practices, the Department has introduced centralised delivery for all categories of mail and parcels by setting up dedicated delivery centres that consolidate the service areas of existing post offices. These delivery centres will enable the Department to offer flexible delivery services, including Sunday and holiday deliveries, as well as morning and evening delivery options. A total of 344 delivery centres have been launched nationwide during Phase 1, the statement added. One of the core pillars of this transformation is the integration of India Post's systems with major national digital commerce ecosystems. According to officials, the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) will enable wallet-based prepaid bookings, centralised order tracking, and automated reconciliation with ONDC's accounting systems.