It was only after revelation through RTI application that Department of Posts discontinued postal-orders in outdated denominations like rupees 1, 2, 5 and 7 because of extremely low sale-figure and high handling cost. According to an RTI response, handling cost of a postal-order was rupees 37.45 to Department of Posts alone in the year 2011-12. Handling cost for clearing-operation of banks is even extra. It is highly illogical that public-exchequer may bear such extra-ordinary loss in handling postal-orders in denominations like rupees 10 and 20. Rather it is time that higher denominations like of rupees 100, 200 and 500 may be added to avoid purchase of demand-drafts in submitting various types of fees.
Government-fees below rupees 50 may either be increased or totally abolished. Or Department of Posts may issue special stamps like there used to be for licences of radio and TV sets for services requiring heavy use of postal-orders in lower denominations of rupees 10 and 20. Beginning can be done with introducing RTI stamps where presently heavy use of postal-orders in denominations rupees 10 is there. RTI stamps can be issued in denominations of rupees 2, 10 and 50. Presently copying-charges under RTI Act in amounts lower than rupees 10 is not feasible because of discontinuance of postal-orders in denominations of rupees 2. Even Central Information Commission CIC in its repeated verdicts has recommended issue of RTI stamps. CIC has also taken up the issue of RTI stamps with Department of Post administratively.
MADHU AGRAWAL