Is Nepal Postal Service Ready to Implement Balendra Sah’s Government Courier Service Plan?

March 30, Kathmandu – Even for a simple recommendation letter, one must wander corridor to corridor within ward offices. Afterwards, to acquire citizenship, passports, or licenses, citizens often have no choice but to queue in the district headquarters or the respective government offices.

Although the slogan ‘Singha Durbar (the central government) in every village’ was chanted years ago, practically, only complicated processes and circulars from Singha Durbar have trickled down to rural areas.

Even in today’s digital age, moving files from one government office room to another requires intermediaries and ‘extra fees’. Without paying bribes, services remain inaccessible, and citizens frequently return home empty-handed after waiting in long lines all day.

Despite tremendous technological advancements, citizens continue facing hardships to access basic government services. IT experts attribute these problems to the lack of essential infrastructure for online services in most government offices.

Against this backdrop of age-old inefficiencies, the government led by senior CPN-RSP leader Balendra Sah has announced an ambitious plan.

The government’s 100-day agenda states, “Citizens will no longer have to chase government desks; passports, citizenship certificates, and licenses will be delivered to their homes.”

Point 27 of this agenda states: “Postal services will be modernized and developed into a ‘Government Courier Service’ to provide government services at citizens’ doorsteps.”

This means you will no longer need to rush to offices or stand in queues to receive your passport, citizenship certificate, or driving license; these documents will be delivered directly to your home through government postal services.

The government aims to roll out this plan within 100 days, reviving the sluggish postal service and transforming it into a state-of-the-art Government Courier Service.

While the plan to turn the outdated postal service into a ‘smart delivery center’ appears revolutionary amid technological progress, its implementation remains challenging.

For many Nepalese accustomed to standing in passport department queues from early morning, the promise of home delivery within 100 days may seem hard to believe, yet it also raises hopes of easing their burdens.

Will the government truly overcome technological shortcomings, the absence of a structured addressing system, and inter-ministerial coordination challenges to realize this plan within 100 days?

The idea of home delivery for government services is attractive and citizen-centric, potentially saving time and costs. However, there is public skepticism regarding the postal service’s capacity to deliver on this promise – “Is our postal service ready?”

Currently, the growing reach of private courier companies and technological developments have overshadowed the government postal service, which suffers from inefficiency and a lack of professionalism due to its inability to keep pace with the times.

Experts say the postal service has failed to compete with private couriers due to extreme delays, lost parcels, and reliability issues. Decades-old laws, limited access in rural areas, and weak customer service have further deteriorated its structure.

IT specialist Manohar Bhattarai notes that while this objective is possible and practiced globally, fully implementing it within 100 days in Nepal presents a formidable challenge.

He emphasizes that both the online document issuance system and the postal service itself need improvement for the plan to succeed.

Although the government has demonstrated political will with this declaration, clear policies and implementation strategies have yet to be publicly communicated, Bhattarai adds.

Rapid Preparations Underway for Implementation

Following the government announcement, the Postal Services Department has accelerated preparations for implementation. The department is optimistic that leveraging its extensive network and experience reaching remote areas inaccessible to private couriers will ensure the plan’s success.

The department has already submitted the required operational framework to the ministry for discussions.

According to Director Lilaraj Paudel, key challenges include manpower shortages, insufficient vehicles, and the lack of reliable address identification systems.

Currently, the department faces a significant shortage of vehicles, hindering its ability to deliver documents door-to-door nationwide.

“We have adequate manpower, but lack sufficient resources and means to provide the service,” he said. “The scarcity of motorcycles or four-wheeled vehicles remains the main problem.”

Another major issue is the management of accurate addresses for recipients. There is no clear system to verify the addresses provided in online forms.

For example, if a person applies for a passport at the District Administration Office or passport department from Chabahil, there needs to be a verified system to identify the exact home delivery address, he explains.

At present, the department delivers passports to 33 district administration offices, from where citizens pick them up themselves.

Paudel dismisses complaints about missing parcels as “rumors.” No official report of lost mail has been filed, and compensation arrangements exist for services like EMS.

He also claims that some private courier companies even utilize government postal services for sending parcels abroad.

The department currently has a tracking system from office to office and suggests developing it further to enable tracking up to the citizen’s home.

Positive Plan Requires Outsourcing and Clear Procedures for Success

Administration expert and former chair of the Public Administration Reform Commission, Kashiraj Dahal, describes the plan to deliver passports, citizenship certificates, and licenses at home as positive and democratic. However, he stresses the need for solid preparations and clear administrative mechanisms for effective implementation.

According to him, this plan embodies the democratic principle that “the government reaches the people’s homes” and needs to be enforced effectively.

“This is a positive arrangement that will end the hassles citizens have faced in the past,” he said.

Given that IT development has diminished the traditional role of postal services, elevating it to a modern courier service is a timely and appropriate step.

While the 100-day timeframe is ambitious, Dahal believes it is not impossible. He recommends initiating a campaign immediately and then institutionalizing the plan.

“There might not be sufficient manpower to simultaneously cover all 77 districts, but where access is easier, the campaign can start and later be expanded,” he added.

To address resource and manpower shortages, Dahal suggests collaboration with the private sector (outsourcing) as an optimal solution.

“If needed, existing courier companies can be contracted to handle responsibilities,” he explained.

Since sensitive documents like passports, citizenship certificates, and licenses will be delivered at home, security and accountability are equally critical. Thus, a clear administrative framework is vital.

“The terms for entrusting institutions must be explicit, including provisions for compensation in case of loss,” he stressed.

Successful implementation requires strong coordination between the passport department, Department of Transport Management, the Ministry of Home Affairs agencies, and the Postal Services Department.

“Only through inter-agency coordination and a unified procedure can the plan succeed,” he concluded.

Local Technology the Best Solution

Richan Shrestha, founder chairman of NAS IT, states that though technically challenging, the government’s plan to deliver documents door-to-door is achievable. Nepali startups have developed effective solutions that outmatch foreign technologies.

He notes that the biggest challenge is Nepal’s lack of a structured addressing system, but domestic solutions can address this.

“Local startups like Galli Maps and Bato Kata Ho have already developed address management solutions; they require encouragement and support,” he said.

To make the delivery process transparent, a ‘real-time tracking system’ is essential and not difficult to implement.

“Services like Pathao have demonstrated successful models; technology exists here but needs adaptation for postal services,” he added.

He argues that challenges in extending services to rural areas can be addressed gradually in phases.

Starting in densely populated urban areas to test the technology and then expanding to rural regions is a feasible approach.

“We may not complete everything within 100 days, but we can certainly start,” he affirmed.

He believes if the government collaborates with local startups, the plan will succeed and provide significant relief to citizens.