100-days Action Plan Largely Unmet

Exactly 2 months after taking the additional charge of the Union Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Kapil Sibal proposed a 100-day action plan to transform the communication, information and technology industry into a better 'technology enabled, self-reliant robust market'.

Sibal's 100 days' proposed agenda for the DoT, DIT, and DoP has crossed its deadline and now it's time to take a sneak peak into his plan of action and the actual achievement.

The 100 days' agenda for the DoP has largely been left unachieved with a long list of pending tasks.

• Action Plan 1: The first set of action plan was to have a customer interaction management solution that can facilitate 24x7 transactions for customers .

Achievement: Though the vendors have been shortlisted, the intial step of floating the Request for Proposal (RFP) of the vendor has not been done. RFP will be issued by April 15, 2011.

Status: Partly complete

• Action Plan 2: To have mail operation solutions that will provide full article visibility across the supply chain, improve revenue generation as well as increase the number of delivery channels.

Achievement: Though the vendors have been shortlisted, the intial step of floating the Request for Proposal (RFP) of the vendor has not been done. RFP will be issued by April 15, 2011.

Status: Partly complete

• Action Plan 3: To have an enterprise wide human resources managment solution and finance and accounts solution in place.

Achievement: Though the vendors have been shortlisted, the intial step of floating the RFP of the vendor has not been done. RFP will be issued by April 15, 2011.

Status: Partly complete

• Action Plan 4: Banking and postal life insurance solution to ensure centralized processing of transactions/data, ATMs, mobile banking. This will also enable e-commerce and web channels for customers.

Achievement: RFP has been issued. Technical evaluation of banking solution will be completed by April 30, 2011.

Status: Partly complete

• Action Plan 5: Change management for the India post will focus on effective management of change in technology and business process as a result of the introduction of IT solutions.

Achievement: RFP has been issued. Process of evaluation of bids is going on. Technical bid evaluation will be complete by April 25, 2011.

Status: Partly complete

• Action Plan 6: Computerization of post offices

Achievement: The aim was the computerization of 9,600 post offices by March 31, 2011 to improve the services being offerered and avoid errors. Till date only the supply order on DGS&D has been placed and the supply has commenced. However the complete computerization has not yet taken place.

Status: Incomplete

• Action Plan 7: Launch of white label prepaid cards

Achievement: The DoP has got the necessary approval from RBI. Partner banks are awaiting approval from the RBI to launch the prepaid cards. The card is expected to be launched by May 15, 2011.

Status: Incomplete

• Action Plan 8: Launch of domestic flat rate parcel boxes

Achievement: The aim was to launch prepaid parcel boxes for domestic parcels of 1 kg, 2.5 kg, and 5 kg. The parcel box was launched on February 4, 2011. The service is available in all the 807 head post offices in the country which will be further expanded to the sub post ofices in the second phase.

Status: Complete

• Action Plan 9: Upgradation of speed post centers

Achievement: Seventeen more speed post centers to be equipped with hand-held scanners and bar code readers to provide a better track and trace facility to the customers. All the 17 centers have been upgraded.

Status: Complete

• Action Plan 10: Expansion of passenger reservation system in post offices

Achievement: The aim was to extend the passenger reservation system to 71 new locations by December 31, 2011. The target of extending the facility to 71 more post offices could not be achieved as the railways had to provide a dedicated connnectivity and infrastructure at each location. Matter is being taken to expedite the installation process.

Status: Incomplete

• Action Plan 11: Financial inclusion

Achievement: The aim was to underwrite 45 lakh micro-insurance policies in rural areas. Around 46.62 lakh micro-insurance policies have been underwritten in rural areas as on March 31, 2011.

Status: Complete

Ritu Singh
ritus@cybermedia.co.in