Continuing with its traditional services like distributing and collecting of letters, registered mails, small saving schemes, the department has launched about a dozen premium services including e-post, logistic post, speed post, greeting post, express parcel post, etc.

Many revenue-generating services like selling of bumper lottery tickets, insurance of vehicles through oriental insurance, mutual funds, instant money order services, Western Union Money Transfer, sale of admission forms for different competitive examinations are now possible at the post offices in the city.

“Ludhiana postal department (city division) has topped the state in generating maximum revenue for the department,” said V K Raizada, Senior Superintendent, Post Offices, Ludhiana.

According to sources, “Ludhiana postal department generated revenue of about Rs 2 crore in 2006-2007 and this year it is expected to be double.”

The SSPO said, “Speed Post services are indeed very popular and give maximum business. We started selling bumper lottery tickets last year. On Diwali, we sold Diwali Bumper worth Rs 1.70 lakh. Similarly, we earned Rs 1.35 lakh through Lohri bumper.”

About another business-oriented schemes, Raizada said in February “Electronic International Money Order” scheme will start between India and UAE (United Arab Emirates). We hope that it becomes a popular scheme.’

It was in the mid eighties when courier services started by different private companies affected postal services immensely. Raizada said, “From 1984 to 2003, the working of department of posts was at its lowest point.