of the scheme is to popularize ‘Paper Gold’ among masses and to reach out to the small investors
      at the grassroot level.
      Electronic Indian Postal Order (e-IPO)
            Based on the proposal received from Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), India
      Post agreed to facilitate acceptance of RTI fees from Indian citizens abroad through e-IPO on e-
      Post Office web portal.
            The user may purchase an Indian Postal Order electronically by paying a fee on-line through
      e-Post Office Portal. Payment of fee can be made using debit and credit cards powered by VISA
      and Master.
            Initially this facility was launched in 2013 only for Indian citizens abroad across the globe
      to seek information from the Central Public Information Officers (CPIOs) under the RTI Act,
      2005. Later on, the facility was extended to 176 Indian Missions abroad. EIPO facility was
      further extended to Indian citizens living in India in 2014 to facilitate them to pay RTI fee online.
      e-Post Office
            e-Post Office is an e-commerce portal of the Department of Posts which provides selected
      postal facility through the internet. This portal aims at providing a convenience to the public for
      availing select postal services from their home/office using their own computer and internet.
      Customers can buy philatelic stamps and pay PLI/RPLI premium online using credit/debit card
      through this portal. The customer would need to register on the website for the first time.
      e-Post
            e-Post is an unregistered hybrid mail provided for both retail as well as corporate customers
      providing electronic transmission of messages which may include text messages, scanned
      images, pictures and their delivery in hard copies at the destination through postman/delivery
      staff. Presently, e-Post booking facility is available in more than 13,000 post offices and are
      physically delivered through a network of more than 1.54 lakh post offices, etc. to draft, design
      and send messages as per their business requirements from their office premises by using the
      internet. Online recharge facility for pre-paid customers is available using credit/debit card.
      e-Payment
            It is an option for businesses and organizations to collect their bills or other payments
      through post offices. e-Payment is a many to one solution which allows collection of money
      (telephone bills, electricity bills, examination fee, taxes university fee, school fee, etc.) on behalf
      of any organization electronically.
      International Relations
            India is a member of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) since 1876. This organization of
      192 member countries aims to extend, facilitate and improve postal relations among other
      countries. India, an elected member of the Postal Operations Council (POC) of the UPU is the
      co-chair of Committee 1 (Supply Chain Integration), and member of the Quality of Service Fund,
      Board of Trustees (QSF BoT) which works for development of the postal sector in the
      developing countries.
            India is also a member of the Asian-Pacific Postal Union (APPU) along with 31 other