Seminar : Transformation of India Post for Vision 2020 - June 15-16, 2005

The World Bank in collaboration with the Department of Posts, Government of India, and support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, organized a two-day seminar on June 15-16, 2005 in New Delhi on the Transformation of India Post for Vision 2020.   The theme of the seminar was to develop an efficient service delivery (postal, financial, ICT) within the context of a commercially viable postal institution. 

The seminar was very well attended and brought together representatives from diverse sectors that included the government, postal administrations from India and abroad, private and public sector participants, NGOs and microfinance institutions. The objective of this seminar was to share domestic and international experiences to help define a long term vision for India Post, a strategy for its transformation, and an action plan on the specific steps that need to be taken. The seminar also intended to contribute to the thought process within India Post on how the department’s services can be offered more efficiently, its retail network leveraged fully, and, its range of services expanded.

AGENDA AND PRESENTATIONS 

SESSION 1: OPENING AND STRATEGIC OVERVIEW OF THE POSTAL SECTOR IN INDIA

Welcome  -  Mr Michael Carter, Country Director, World Bank
Overview of India Post and perspective on the challenges ahead
- Dr U Srinivasa Raghavan, Member-Operations, Department of Posts
Outputs from the last seminar and objectives of this seminar
  - Mr Simon Bell, Sector Manager, South Asia Finance and Private Sector, World Bank
Opening remarks
- Mr R Ganesan, Secretary Posts, Government of India
Key note address: Vision 2020 & India Post
- Mr Dayanidhi Maran, Minister, Ministry of Communication and Information Technology
Vote of thanks – Ms J Diesh, Member-Development, Department of Posts

SESSION 2: RE-ENGINEERING AND RE-STRUCTURING EXPERIENCES
Chair : Mr MV Rajasekharan, Ex-Officio Member, Planning Commission and Minister of State for Planning

The changing world of postal services :
Current trends in the postal industry, changing customer requirements, liberalization, international relationships, regulation.
  - Mr Graeme Paul Lee, Senior Postal Policy Specialist, World Bank 
The modernization of the postal network: the example of Deutsche Post World Net
New business opportunities, liberalization, strategy and structure, competition
- Mr Amin Saidoun, Director UPU Affairs, Deutsche Post World Net 
Role of technology for postal systems and challenges for India
- Mr Sanjay Mirchandani, Regional Vice President, Microsoft Asia 

Open discussion and questions

Transformation of Indian Bank into a profit making customer focused business  
Ms Ranjana Kumar, Chairperson, NABARD and ex-Chairperson and Managing Director,  Indian Bank
Discussants:
- Mr Amrit Pandurangi, Executive Director, PriceWaterhouse Coopers
- Mr RR Rao, Joint Managing Director, ICRA
Open discussion and questions 

SESSION 3: OPERATIONAL EXPERIENCES
Chair  : Ms Asha Swarup, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Commerce

Modernizing Postal Communications Services and Logistics: The Operations of Deutsche Post World Net     Solutions for improving quality, productivity in mail distribution and operations
- Mr Amin Saidoun, Director UPU Affairs, Deutsche Post World Net 
Experiences from La Poste
- Mr Daniel Le Goff, International  Relations Manager, La Poste 

Discussants:
- Mr Amitabh Verma, Joint Secretary, Financial Sector, Ministry of Finance
- Dr C Murali Krishna Kumar, Officer on Special Duty, Planning Commission

Open discussion and questions
Brief summary by chair 

Summary of the day
- Mr Simon Bell, Sector Manager, World Bank
- Dr U Srinivasa Raghavan, Member-Operations, Department of Posts

SESSION 4 - TECHNOLOGY AND FINANCIAL SERVICE SOLUTIONS
Chair : Dr Nachiket Mor, Executive Director, ICICI Bank

Postal Financial Services for Anywhere Anytime Banking
- Mr Johannes Petrus Boon, Postal Financial Services Specialist, ING PostBank 
Financial services for postal operators – international experiences and relevance to India
- Mr Joydeep Sengupta, Partner, McKinsey and Company 
Financial and Retail Network Solutions
- Ms Li Shuang, Program Manager, Postal Savings and Remittance Bureau, China Post 

Open discussion and questions 

SESSION 5 - BREAK OUT GROUPS 

BREAK OUT SESSION 1 – The role of technology and financial services in India Post
Discussion focused on:
Financial services and technology, Application to India Posts, Platform requirements, Extent and cost benefits of counter automation
- Prof Subhash Bhatnagar, Professor, IIM-Ahmedabad and Head of the Centre for E-Governance at IIM-Ahmedabad    >>> see presentation
- Mr Vijay Mahajan, Managing Director, BASIX  >>> see presentation
1st core group comprised of staff from India Post

BREAK OUT SESSION 2 – Postal Sector Restructuring and New Business Opportunities
Discussion focused on:
The scope of the universal service obligation, Market liberalization, How to effectively regulate the market,  Restructuring of India Post,  Change Management,  New business opportunities, Logistics
- Ms Isabelle Huynh-Segni, Postal Policy Specialist, World Bank
2nd core group comprised of staff from India Post

SESSION 6 - REINVENTION OF INDIA POST
Chair : Dr Ashok Lahiri, Chief Economic Adviser, Ministry of Finance, Government of India

A brief recap of lessons from international and domestic experiences
Structural lessons – commercialization strategy
Operational lessons – quality, efficiency, new product development, Technology solutions, e-governance
- Dr U Srinivasa Raghavan, Member, Department of Posts >>> see presentation
- Mr Simon Bell, Sector Manager, World Bank 
Presentations by core groups on reinvention of India Post

Rapporteurs from the India Post core groups
Core group 1: Technology & financial services:
Ms P Gopinath, Department of Posts
Core group 2: Restructuring & new business opportunities:
Ms Shobha Koshy, Department of Posts 

Panel Discussion
Brainstorming session to discuss transformation of India Post. Action Plan for India Post.
- Dr Nachiket Mor, Executive Director, ICICI Bank
- Mr Rajiv Kumar, Chief Economist, CII
- Mr Adil S Zailnulbhai, Managing Director-India, McKinsey
- Mr R Ganesan, Secretary Posts, Government of India 
Open discussion  

CLOSING SESSION
 
Mr R Ganesan, Secretary, Department of Posts
Lessons/next steps for India Post: - Dr U Srinivasa Raghavan, Department of Posts
Remarks: Mr Simon Bell, World Bank
Address: Mr Adarsh Kishore, Secretary, Expenditure, Ministry of Finance
Closing Address: Mr BK Chaturvedi, Cabinet Secretary
Vote of thanks:  Ms J Diesh, Member-Development, Department of Posts

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