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Neha Kaushik

NEW DELHI, Feb. 19

FOR Indians in the Gulf region, reaching out to friends and relatives back home on special occasions will soon become simpler, courtesy the Department of Posts.

The Department of Posts has signed an agreement with Emirates Post, which will enable non-resident Indians to send gifts such as flowers, chocolates and cakes to their relatives in India and vice-versa.

"The pilot project is currently on in Kerala,'' said Mr John Samuel, Additional General Manager, Business Development Directorate, Department of Posts. "It should be completed within the next two months.''

However, the initiative will be implemented only in Kerala in the first phase, and later introduced in other parts of the country. The procedure to make use of the service will be simple - users will have to visit the post office, indicate the items they want delivered and make the payment.

The post office will intimate its counterpart in the Gulf or in India. This even cuts out costs associated with international delivery.

"The items will be delivered by the post office. In Kerala, we have already formed tie-ups with players like the Taj group for cakes, and with leading florists as well,'' Mr Samuel said.

Meanwhile, the Department's new motto will now be `High Tech, High Touch'.

"We are also adopting a business model. We are trying to show that the Department of Posts is a hi-tech organisation, while at the same time trying to become more customer-oriented.''

Among the various initiatives targeted at corporates, the Department will be launching a database correction facility, for a price, of course.

Since the database available with the Department is updated regularly, companies can update their old databases with its help.

The Department will also begin selling its database to companies for the purpose of direct mailing, though initially only in Hyderabad and Bangalore.

"Already, companies such as American Express, the Modi group, HCL, Standard Chartered Bank and several direct mailing companies have evinced keen interest in the venture,'' Mr Samuel said.

Also, to improve its overall image, the Department has tied up with various institutes for short-term training programmes for its employees.

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